§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the number of children aged(a) 0 to 4, (b) 5 to 10, (c) 11 to 12 and (d) 13 years or above whose child care during the hours of parental employment is provided primarily by a grandparent or other non-parental family member. [55387]
§ Ms HodgeEstimates of the number of children in the relevant age bands whose child care during the hours of parental employment is provided primarily by a grandparent or other non-parental family member are not1010W available. The British Social Attitudes Survey conducted in 1994 by independent researchers at Social and Community Planning Research asked working parents about their child care arrangements. The survey found that, in families where the youngest child was aged less than 5, 21 per cent. of children were cared for by relatives other than parents. Where the youngest child was between 5 and 12 years old, 18 per cent. were cared for in this way.
We know that many parents prefer their children to be cared for by relatives whilst they are at work. This is why our National Childcare Strategy seeks to improve support for such carers.
Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on his Department's plans to improve child care. [53474]
§ Ms HodgeThe Green Paper "Meeting the Childcare Challenge", which was published in May, sets out the Government's plans for a National Childcare Strategy to raise the quality of care, to make child care more affordable, and to make it more accessible.
The range of tasks envisaged in the National Childcare Strategy can be achieved only by drawing on the commitment and expertise of a wide range of partners with local knowledge and experience. We are therefore setting up in each English local authority area an Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership to take forward the local planning to implement the strategy.
Last week I announced the launch of the 1999–2000 planning guidance for the partnerships and informed each about the funding available to them from the Department for child care development next year. The partnerships are currently assessing the local demand for child care and the supply of places available to meet it and will be going on to produce plans to begin filling the gap between the two. These plans will be sent to the Department by 1 February 1999, for approval prior to delivery from 1999 onwards.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales has parallel plans for Wales.