Affordable Child Care

Affordable early years education and childcare potentially enable parents, particularly mothers, to be in paid employment. International studies have found that countries with greater enrollment rates in publicly funded or provided childcare also have higher maternal employment rates, [blank] untangling causal relationships is complex. From a household point of view, additional income, especially for the less well-off, is itself associated with better outcomes for children, as child poverty has been shown to be a key independent determinant of children's outcomes. And, [blank] the point of view of the public purse, as mothers [blank] employment they are likely to claim fewer benefits and to generate extra revenues [blank] income tax and national insurance.