Small Childcare Providers Are Facing "An Unsustainable Future".

A report from the Federation of Small Businesses has warned small childcare providers are facing "an unsustainable future". 

A Women’s Equality Party spokesperson said:

“This is further evidence of the damaging impact caused by the Government’s failure to invest in childcare.

“By introducing the 30 hours per week provision without proper funding or consideration to the need to increase capacity, the Government has left smaller nurseries forced to look for other sources of income. As the FSB sets out, this means parents are having to pay more for additional hours or so-called ‘extras’ like lunches or nappies.  

“If the Government fails to get a grip on this issue, many providers could go out of business - something that will further limit access to childcare.

“The Women’s Equality Party has a plan to fund universal free childcare from the end of parental leave to the start of school. This would be both an investment in the next generation, and help to close the economic inequality between men and women that has been so starkly demonstrated by the gender pay gap figures.”