Nursery World - Childcare for all the community

By Susan Kramer, Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate, Richmond Park, London No-one disputes that joblessness is a primary cause of child poverty. With 30 per cent of children living in families that count as poor, it seems incomprehensible that the provision of quality, affordable childcare is far from universal. Parents, especially single parents, who wish to work find childcare a major obstacle and many who do work find childcare difficult or extremely costly. When I was a working mum 25 years ago, childcare was a struggle. Never did my friends and I think that the problems would last into this generation.

When I was a working mum 25 years ago, childcare was a struggle. Never did my friends and I think that the problems would last into this generation.

But my local council tells me that I will not find an available nursery place for a child under three in my area. They are all full. The average cost of childcare in the area is 47 a day and childminders cost from 5 to 7 an hour.

Part of the problem is that my area is viewed as an affluent, leafy suburb.

But even within affluence are many pockets of poverty. And how sad it would be if leafy suburbs turned into ghettos of the rich rather than communities of many different people.

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