Britain's broken childcare system
Where are all the children? Nursery fees rise as free childcare scheme backfires So this is how life in Britain will get worse, or has never improved. In France, the State subsidises about 80% of the cost of childcare. They *just pay for it* and have done for years. The amazingly simple rationale is that it's good for kids, and good for parents. No shit Sherlock. In Australia, government offers parents a healthy subsidy towards the cost of childcare – it depends on income, but it's generous. In Britain, the Government makes a promise to 'give' 30 hours a week of free childcare – but doesn't back it with nearly enough funding. This means that childcare providers are at risk of going bust, and have to start charging parents for the so-called free care, which excludes the poorest. The State is simply creating the conditions for a vicious circle. You can't tell both parents in a two-parent family, or single parents, to 'go back to work&