1. THE LONDON CHILDCARE MARKET: POLICY CONTEXT Eva Lloyd Co-director ICMEC Cass School of Education University of East London 3 March 2011

2. London and childcare Considerable socio/economic and demographic differences between and within Inner and Outer London authorities Capital’s diverse population, speaking over 300 languages, requires flexible childcare system Many local markets make up the London childcare market London is genuinely different Eva Lloyd, ICMEC 3 March 2011

3. Key childcare policies 1997 - 2010 Childcare and early education market featuring: Supply side subsidy for free part-time early education for 3 and 4 year olds Demand side subsidy for low income parents, the Childcare element of the Working Tax Credit, towards registered childcare Supply side support for Sure Start Children’s Centres primarily in disadvantaged areas, some for out-of- school Fiscal incentives for employer childcare support Eva Lloyd, ICMEC 3 March 2011

4. Main London childcare market characteristics Free part-time or full-time nursery education in most inner and outer London boroughs also pre-1997 Some supply-side support for childcare provision in numerous London boroughs also pre-1997 Possibly greater use of private nannies than in rest of England, but no statistics available Considerable social stratification in provision and uptake within ‘local childcare cultures’ Eva Lloyd, ICMEC 3 March 2011

5. London’s socio-economic challenges Child poverty rate 48% Inner London, 28% Outer London (England 30% ) Maternal employment rate 54% (England 65%) Lowest uptake of Working Tax Credit compared to England as a whole Low qualification levels, high unemployment rate and income inequalities disproportionally affecting BME communities and lone parents High housing, living and transport costs Eva Lloyd, ICMEC 3 March 2011

6. Additional challenges to maternal employment High levels of lone parenthood, 20% of all lone parents live in London Atypical working patterns for major employers e.g. NHS and London Transport Less part-time working Low pay Relatively high gender pay gap Childcare costs 20 to 25% higher than in England Eva Lloyd, ICMEC 3 March 2011

7. London specific childcare policies The 2003 London Childcare Strategy Childcare Affordability Programme, CAP-05 Childcare Affordability Programme, CAP-09 London Child Poverty pilots London and rest of England: Childcare tax subsidies shrink under Coalition Government; support for early education continues Eva Lloyd, ICMEC 3 March 2011

8. Focus of LDA Childcare market report OFSTED registered childcare for children aged 0 to 5 in centres and with childminders OFSTED registered out-of-school provision and childminding for children aged 5 -7 Excluded: nursery education provided in schools; informal childcare, which is still the most popular form of childcare for children aged under 2; holiday provision for children aged 5 and over; crèches and private nannies Eva Lloyd, ICMEC 3 March 2011

9. Sources Lloyd, E. (2008) ‘The interface between childcare, family support and child poverty strategies under new Labour: tensions and contradictions,’ Social Policy & Society, 7(4), 479-494 Mayor & GLA Economics: Women in London’s Economy Series, London: Greater London Authority Mayor of London (2003) The London Childcare Strategy: towards affordable good quality childcare for all. London: Greater London Authority Vincent, C. Brown, A. & Ball, S. (2008) ‘Childcare, choice and social class,’ Critical Social Policy, 26(1), 5-26 Eva Lloyd, ICMEC 3 March 2011