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MP93480

MAPS CHILDCARE : UK JULY 2000

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This report covers: Childminders, Nannies, au pairs, childcare, standards, qualifications, out of school childcare, after school childcare, holiday day care,

Companies covered include: Childcare Organisations, the Daycare trust, ChildcareLink, National Childminding Association, National Day Nurseries Association Nursery World, Kids' Club Network, Parents at Work, Accor Corporate Services, Buffer Bear Nurseries/Chilcare Partners, Busy Bees, child Base, Early Years Childcare/Family Matters, Jigsaw Group, Just Learning, Kids Unlimited, Kinderquest,

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Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction	1
Background	1
Help For Working Parents	1
Childcare Choices: Pre-School	1
Childcare Choices: Out-of-School Childcare	1
The Future	1
2. Executive Summary	2
3. Background	4
Growing numbers of working mothers	4
Table 1: Women with Youngest Dependent Child Aged Under 5 Yearsby Marital and Employment Status ( percent),1983/1985-1999	4
Figure 1: Women with Youngest Dependent Child Aged Under 5 Yearsby Marital and Employment Status ( percent),1983/1985-1999	5
Table 2: Economic Activity Status of Women† by Marital Status and Age of Youngest Dependent Child ( percent), Spring 1999	6
Figure 2: Economic Activity Status of Women† by Marital Status and Age of Youngest Dependent Child ( percent), Spring 1999	7
Table 3: Employment and Unemployment Rates of Men and Women by Age of Youngest Dependent Child (years and percent), 1998	9
Figure 3: percentage of Women and Men in Employment Who Work Part Time by Age of Youngest Dependent Child, 1998	10
Table 4: percentage of Women and Men in Employment Who Work Part Time by Age of Youngest Dependent Child, 1998	10
Table 5: Women in Employment by Type of Employmentby Age of Youngest Dependent Child ( percent), 1999†	11
Figure 4: Women in Employment by Type of Employmentby Age of Youngest Dependent Child ( percent), 1999†	12
part-time working mothers	13
Table 6: Employment Status of Women by Own Socio-Economic Group and Age of Youngest Dependent Child ( percent), 1994/1996	13
Figure 5: Reasons Given for Working Part Time by Employees and the Self-Employed ( percent), 1998	14
Figure 6: Reasons Given by Women With Dependent Children Working Part Time for Not Wanting a Full-Time Job ( percent), 1998	16
Non-working mothers	16
Table 9: The Desire to Work Among Economically Inactive People ( percent), 1997	17
Figure 7: The Desire to Work Among Economically Inactive People ( percent), 1997 18
Table 10: The Desire to Work Among People Looking After Family or Home ( percent), 1997	18
Figure 8: The Desire to Work Among People Looking After Family or Home ( percent), 1997	19
Table 11: Reasons Given by Mothers for Not Doing Paid Work ( percent), 1998	20
Figure 9: Reasons Given by Mothers for Not Doing Paid Work ( percent), 1998 21
Figure 10: Mothers Not Currently Doing Paid Work — Intended Time to Return to Work ( percent), 1998	22
Table 12: Mothers Not Currently Doing Paid Work —Intended Time to Return to Work ( percent), 1998	22
Should mothers of young children go out to work?	23
The consumer and attitudes to working parents	23
Table 13: Attitudes Towards Working Parents with Children of School Age ( percent of adults), 2000	24
Table 14: Agreement With Statement 'I Think the Mother Should Stay at Home and Look After the Children Until They Are of School Age', 200025
Table 15: Agreement With Statement 'I or My Partner Would Choose Not to Go Back to Work Until My Youngest Child Was of School Age Rather Than Have to Arrange Childcare For Them', 2000	27
4. Help For Working Parents	29
Government initiatives	29
The Consumer, the Government and Childcare	30
Table 16: Attitudes Towards Government Initiatives on Childcare ( percent of adults), 2000	30
Figure 11: Attitudes Towards Government Initiatives onChildcare ( percent of adults), 2000	31
Table 18: Agreement With Statement 'I Think the Government is Doing Too Much to Try and Persuade Mothers of Young Children to Go Back to Work', 2000	34
The employers angle	35
The Legislative Framework	36
Flexible Working and Other Family-Friendly Policies	36
Table 19: percentage of Employees With Flexible Working Arrangements by Sex and Type of Arrangement, 1998	36
Figure 12: percentage of Employees With Flexible Working Arrangements by Sex and Type of Arrangement, 1998	37
Table 20: Flexible Working Arrangements and Family-Friendly Policies Offered by IPD Member Organisations ( percent), 1999	38
Figure 13: Flexible Working Arrangements and Family-Friendly Policies Offered by IPD Member Organisations ( percent), 1999	39
Help With Childcare	39
The Consumer and the Employer	40
Table 21: Help With Childcare Offered by IPD Member Organisations ( percent), 1999	40
Figure 14: Attitudes Towards Employers and Childcare ( percent of adults), 2000	41
Table 22: Attitudes Towards Employers and Childcare ( percent of adults), 2000	41
Table 24: Agreement With Statement 'Employers Should Treat Mothers and Fathers Equally Regarding Maternity Benefit/Leave, etc.', 2000	45
The cost of childcare	46
The Consumer and the Cost of Childcare	47
Figure 15: Whether the Cost of Childcare Would Prevent Return to Work As Soon As Preferred After Having Children ( percent of adults), 2000	48
Table 27: Agreement With Statement 'The Cost of Childcare Would Prevent Me or My Partner From Going Back to Work As Soon As I/We Would Have Liked After Having Children', 2000	49
International Comparisons	50
Childcare Organisations	50
The Daycare Trust	50
ChildcareLink	51
National Childminding Association	51
National Day Nurseries Association	52
Nursery World	52
Kids' Club Network	52
Parents at Work	52
5. Childcare Choices: Pre-School	53
Who uses childcare?	53
Figure 16: Who is Enabled to Work by Term-Time Day Care Arrangements for Pre-School Children† ( percent), 1998	55
Types of childcare used	56
Figure 17: Type of Term-Time Care Used For Pre-School Children† and Whether Arrangement is Made to Enable Parents to Work ( percent), 1998	58
Figure 18: Type of Term-Time Care Used for Pre-School Children† by Mother's Economic Activity Status ( percent), 1998	60
Making childcare choices	60
Economic and Social Factors	60
Personal Preferences	61
Family-Centred Considerations	61
Informal childcare — relatives as carers	61
Availability of formal childcare	61
Figure 19: Children's Formal† Day Care Places by Type ( percent),1997 and 1998	63
Childminders	64
Nannies and au pairs	64
Nurseries	65
Suppliers of childcare services	66
Accor Corporate Services	67
Buffer Bear Nurseries/Childcare Partners	67
Busy Bees	67
Child Base	67
Early Years Childcare/Family Matters	67
Jigsaw Group	67
Just Learning	68
Kids Unlimited	68
Kinderquest	68
The consumer and childcare choices	68
Table 37: Attitudes Towards Different Forms of Childcare ( percent of adults), 200069
Figure 20: Attitudes Towards Different Forms of Childcare ( percent of adults), 2000	70
Table 38: Agreement with Statement 'Young Children Benefit From Being Able to Socialise With Other Children If They Go to a Nursery While Their Parents Are At Work', 2000	71
Table 39: Agreement with Statement 'Young Children are More Likely to Get Individual Attention If They Are Looked After By a Childminder While Their Parents Are At Work Than If They Go to a Nursery', 2000	73
Table 40: Agreement With Statement 'I Would Not Trust Any Person Outside of My Family With the Care of My Children', 2000	74
Training for childcare workers	75
Monitoring standards of childcare	75
THE CONSUMER AND CHILDCARE STANDARDS	76
Table 41: Attitudes Towards Childcare Standards, Qualifications and Experience ( percent of adults), 2000	76
Figure 21: Attitudes Towards Childcare Standards, Qualifications and Experience ( percent of adults), 2000	77
Table 42: Agreement With Statement 'Childcare is of a Higher Standard Now Than 5 Years Ago', 2000	78
Table 43: Agreement With Statement 'Childminders Should Be Required to Have The Same Qualifications As Staff At Nurseries', 2000	79
Table 44: Agreement With Statement 'Childminders Are Generally More Experienced in Looking After Children Than the Staff of Nurseries', 2000	81
6. Out-of-School Childcare	82
Who uses out-of-school childcare?	82
Table 46: Proportion of Children Using Term-Time and Holiday Care by Child's Age Group ( percent), 1998	84
Table 47: Who is Enabled to Work by Term-Time and School Holiday Day Care Arrangements ( percent), 1998	84
Figure 22: Who is Enabled to Work by Term-Time and School Holiday Day Care Arrangements ( percent), 1998	85
Type of term-time care used	85
Figure 23: Type of Term-Time Care Used for School-Age Children by Age of Child (years and percent), 1998	87
Figure 24: Type of Term-Time Care Used for School-Age Children by Mother's Economic Activity Status ( percent), 1998	89
Table 50: Type of Term-Time Care Used for School-Age Children and Whether Arrangement is Made to Enable Parents to Work ( percent), 1998	90
Figure 25: Type of Term-Time Care Used for School-Age Children and Whether Arrangement is Made to Enable Parents to Work ( percent), 1998	91
Type of holiday care used	91
Table 51: Type of Holiday Care Used by Age of Child ( percent), 1998	92
Figure 26: Type of Holiday Care Used by Age of Child ( percent), 1998	93
Figure 27: Type of Holiday Care Used by Mother's Economic Activity Status ( percent), 1998	95
Figure 28: Type of Holiday Care Used and Whether Arrangement is Made to Enable Parents to Work ( percent), 1998	97
Availability of care in out-of-school clubs	97
Figure 29: Geographical Distribution of Kids' Clubsby Type of Area ( percent), 1998 and 1999	99
Table 55: Number of Primary-School-Age Children Per After-School Club and Summer Holiday Place by Region ( percent), 1999	100
Figure 30: Number of Primary-School-Age Children PerAfter-School Club and Summer Holiday Place by Region ( percent), 1999	101
Figure 31: Providers of Out-of-School Clubs by Type ( percent), 1999	102
Table 56: Providers of Out-of-School Clubs by Type ( percent), 1999	102
Out-of-school care — standards and monitoring	103
The consumer and school-age childcare	103
Table 57: Attitudes Towards School-Age Childcare ( percent of adults), 2000	104
Table 58: Agreement with Statement 'I Think Arranging Childcare Can Be More Difficult For Working Parents Once Children Start School Than It Is When They Are Under School Age', 2000	105
Table 59: Agreement with Statement 'The Government Should Do More For Mothers/Fathers During School Holidays, Such As Subsidised Clubs/Summer Camps, etc.', 2000	107
7. The Future	109
The Childcare Gap	110
Provision for Children Under Three	110
Provision for Student Parents	110
Provision for Shiftworkers	110
Table 60: Childcare — The Next Steps	111
8. Sources	112
9. Glossary of Terms	115
A-Z of DEFINITIONS	115
Above-the-Line or Main Media Expenditure	115
Annual Growth Rate	115
Below-the-Line Advertising	115
Cif	115
Constant Prices	115
Current Prices	115
Fob	115
Forecasts	116
MSP	116
‘Real’	116
RSP	116
ABOUT THE SOURCES USED	116
ACNielsen MMS	116
Prodcom	116
NOP	117
Trade Association Data	117
Trade Sources	117

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Demand for childcare provision has been fuelled by the increase in the number of working mothers, especially those with young children. Between the early 1980s and 1999, the percentage of married/cohabiting women with children under 5 who were working more than doubled, and there was more than a threefold increase in the proportion in full-time work. Women with young children are considerably more likely to be working full time if they are in professional or managerial occupations.

There has been considerable media interest recently in the question of whether or not it is desirable for mothers of young children to go out to work. Market Assessment's research suggested that public opinion is fairly evenly divided on this issue. However, it also showed that, among those for whom the question was applicable, those who would prefer that they or their partner stayed home with young children rather than having to arrange childcare outnumbered those who would not by almost three to one.

The Government's National Childcare Strategy, launched in May 1998, pledged the investment of £8bn over 3 years to improve childcare for children under the age of 14. The Strategy had been designed to try to deal with three major perceived problems with childcare:

· the quality of childcare provision

· the cost of childcare

· the availability of childcare.

Early initiatives to tackle these problems included the establishment of Early Excellence centres throughout the country, help with childcare costs for low- and medium-income families through the Working Families Tax Credit, and money for provision of out-of-school childcare places for children over the age of 4.

The National Childcare Strategy also includes a commitment to persuading employers to take a more active part in helping working parents; at present, very few employers offer help with childcare for their employees. A very high proportion of the sample taking part in Market Assessment's research thought that employers should do more, in the form of company creches and flexible working arrangements, to help working parents; interestingly, there was also strong interest in the concept of employers treating mothers and fathers equally for the purposes of parental benefits, leave, etc.

The cost of childcare is clearly an important deterrent to working parents; among Market Assessment's sample, more than twice as many respondents agreed as disagreed that this would prevent their returning to work as soon as they would have liked after the birth of children.

In 1998, just under half of all pre-school children were using some form of term-time childcare; among those whose mothers were in full-time employment, more than three-quarters received childcare, while two-thirds of those whose mothers worked part time received it. The most common form of childcare arrangement is for a relative to take care of the child, with childminders and workplace or other nurseries accounting for roughly equal numbers of childcare arrangements for the pre-school children of working parents.

The number of formal childcare places (i.e. in nurseries, out-of-school clubs or with registered childminders) is increasing slowly, but in 1998 there was still only one place for every seven children under the age of 8 years.

Among Market Assessment's research respondents, there was strong endorsement of the benefits to young children of being able to socialise with other children in a nursery. Although opinion was more divided on the question of whether childminders offer more individual attention than children would receive in a nursery, the proportion agreeing that this is the case was rather higher than the proportion who disagreed.

There has been a stronger focus in recent years on monitoring standards of childcare, and on the training of childcare workers. Market Assessment's research shows a very high level of agreement that childminders should be required to have the same qualifications as staff at nurseries.

Three in ten of all school-age children under 14 years use some form of childcare during term time; among those whose mothers work full time, the figure is almost double this, while a third of school-age children of part-time working mothers have term-time care. As with children below school age, informal arrangements with friends and relatives are the most common form of term-time care for school-age children. Around half of all children using holiday care continue to use the same arrangements made for them during term time — of those whose mothers work full time, three in ten are in this position.

Although there has been a big increase in the number of out-of-school clubs over the past 5 years, there are still large gaps in provision. Nearly eight in ten of those members of Market Assessment's sample who felt qualified to offer an opinion thought that arranging childcare for school-age children can be more difficult than for pre-school children.

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