The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is calling on the Chancellor to tackle the childcare crisis and take proactive measures to help more people work in his Spring Budget.
Childcare providers are facing insufficient Government funding are currently caught in a tough spot – either having to shut for good or pass the costs onto already-struggling parents and carers.
The economic impact is far-reaching as it becomes unviable for some parents to work, forcing them to choose between childcare and their careers, holding back economic capacity in the short and long term.
FSB’s five-point plan to tackle the issue head on will help small businesses in the early years sector run sustainably, while enabling parents to stay in the workforce:
- Stop the funding gap: the Government funds 30-hours of free childcare for 38 weeks of the year, but providers struggle with a shortfall and are forced to pass the extra