If parents could improve just one aspect of the law in the UK to make their life easier, what would they chose? A new survey from Legal and General shows that the clear number one pick would be childcare support. Why might this be the case and what could be done to fix it? Let's explore the issue further...
High costs compared to the rest of the world
Right now, in England, all three to four-year-olds can access 570 free hours of childcare a year - typically taken as 15 hours a week during term time. In some instances, this can double to 30 hours.
Campaigners say that this leaves a gap - with many women in particular struggling to afford to go back to work between the end of their paid maternity leave period and the start of this free care offer. As many as one in five parents even quit their jobs because of the cost of childcare.
The numbers show why the issue is so acute. Data from the OECD demonstrates that our childcare costs are the highest in the world. It found that a typical 40 hours of childcare a week for two children would eat up 55% of an average couples' earnings. That's 15% higher than the next largest, in New Zealand, and too high a price for many families.
As the BBC has demonstrated, these numbers do come with caveats - and the picture isn't quite as bleak for lower earners. Yet the size of the childcare challenge is clear, nevertheless, and it is little wonder that parents yearn for change when faced with such high bills.
The challenge of 2020
That was the picture before 2020 kicked in - and the pandemic has only served to add yet more pressure on the situation.
It's thought that as few as 13% of nurseries and pre-schools and 33% of childminders will be operating at a profit by January 2021 - prompting fears that access to affordable and convenient childcare options will dwindle.
A survey from the Early Years Alliance found that half of parents don't think the Government has done enough to address this matter - with many already reporting childcare struggles this summer when lockdown measures were eased.
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: "It is clear that much more needs to be done to ensure that the parents of young children are able to access the childcare they need.
"For this to happen, the government simply must provide greater financial support to the early years sector so that nurseries, pre-schools and childminders are able to keep their doors opens and provide the care and education that families rely on."
Call for change
Theirs is one of many voices calling for change. Childcare Levy UK, for example, wants to alter the nature of the conversation and see childcare as being a service on a par with public transport, for example. It argues: "Childcare is as vital as the rails and roads, it supports parents to work, boosts children's outcomes and provides our economy with a reliable workforce. Too many parents remain locked out of work by high childcare costs."
It wants childcare to part of employment package in workplaces - alongside pensions and health care. The group wants to see the Government to support a levy whereby employees can divert their salaries direct to childcare providers or childcare savings accounts, with the same tax incentives as for pension pots. It also wants a register of providers that employees and employers can rely on to be able to use this money effectively to deliver the service needed to get parents in work.
These are far from the only solutions - but do demonstrate the way in which a great many campaigners, charities and support groups have thought deeply about solving the problem.
While progress has been made - and the free childcare itself is evidence of that - it's clear that more can be done to help modern parents cope with the financial and professional challenges they face.
