Private sector: Feeling the squeeze

Is the Government over-stocking the pool of childcare places and making it harder for private providers to survive? Simon Vevers reports When Margaret Hodge addresses a conference in September on the role of the private sector in early years and childcare, her speech will be scrutinised by hard-pressed private nursery providers who fear their viability is increasingly threatened by a plethora of Government initiatives. The Minister for Children emphasised her commitment to working with the private sector...