PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN across Chester will undoubtedly understand the current challenge of childcare fees. 

Among the 38 OECD countries, the UK has the second most expensive childcare. For parents of children aged between two and three, this equates to an average of 29 per cent of a household’s total income. 

At a time when families are already battling with the high costs of energy bills, food prices, and mortgage costs, higher childcare fees are the last thing they need. 

High nursery fees are even pricing some parents out of jobs. They want to work, but they can’t afford the cost of childcare against wages. Many who do work rely on grandparents for additional support. This cannot go on. 

The UK government talks a lot about growing the economy. Yet, how can the economy grow when a large portion of the population is locked out of the workforce due to astronomical childcare fees? 

I recently visited two local day nurseries in Chester – Spinney Day Nursery and Best Friends Day Nursery. Both providers are passionate about childcare and early years development. While they work very closely with the parents of the children they look after, both wish they could do more . No less than five local nurseries have closed in Hoole alone in recent years due in large part to the rise in costs. The impact of even one nursery closing is felt far and wide across a local community because fewer nurseries mean more demand for nurseries still open.  

Unfortunately, the Government does not seem to recognise the problem the lack of affordable childcare is having on families and communities in Chester and across the UK.   

The Prime Minister set out his five priorities for his time in office before the next General Election. Children or the cost and availability of childcare did not feature in his list of priorities. 

When I attended the latest Department for Education Questions in Parliament, I asked the Minister what steps they are taking to help ensure the availability of high-quality childcare in our communities. Their response referred to the announcements made in the Spring Budget. However, this isn’t good enough for families in Chester. Waiting until 2025 for 30 free hours of childcare for nine-month to two-year-olds to be rolled out does little to help parents today. 

We need a modern childcare system that gives families choices, enables parents to work and delivers the best start for every child.