IPPR predict the new tax free childcare won't lower costs to parents

[Simona]

Are they telling us something we had not worked out already? another case of the sums do not add up?
Autumn Statement 2013 childcare costs: Parents worse off under Government plans to expand tax relief - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/mother-tongue/10492042/Autumn-Statement-2013-childcare-costs-Parents-worse-off-under-Government-plans-to-expand-tax-relief.html)

Better watch the autumn statement just in case the Chancellor showers some money on the childcare sector!!

[FloraDora]

Interesting article... We could earn extra coppers by becoming journalists and predicting how the current government initiatives will pan out!!!

Just a point ...as a classroom teacher ...I returned to work 16 weeks after the birth of my first child...used a childminder who was definately not expensive......it took up 60% of my salary!!! ( In 1986) So ...25% currently is peanuts! I did it because I was career minded and the remaining 40% plus my husbands salary was enough.....just.

Thanks again for the sign posting of interesting info.

[Simona]

Interesting article... We could earn extra coppers by becoming journalists and predicting how the current government initiatives will pan out!!!

Just a point ...as a classroom teacher ...I returned to work 16 weeks after the birth of my first child...used a childminder who was definately not expensive......it took up 60% of my salary!!! ( In 1986) So ...25% currently is peanuts! I did it because I was career minded and the remaining 40% plus my husbands salary was enough.....just.

Thanks again for the sign posting of interesting info.

I get a feeling that they 'stay at home mums' are not in favour of this judging from the tweets I am picking up.
The new scheme is only for families where both parents are in work...so I take their point that they are excluded
This scheme though means no extra money for providers as we will continue to 'subsidise' free education or free childcare depends on how people view this....I doubt the Chancellor has any extra money for us on Thursday

I really feel it is unfair that providers who earn little should fund early education for anyone...whether rich or poor...I am on dodgy ground here I know...but education is for the State to provide not us to subsidise

My view is the C/vouchers are a favourite with parents...why not extend it to all parents including the self employed rather than create a new expensive system...also C/vs are worth more ..are they not?

[rickysmiths]

Interesting article... We could earn extra coppers by becoming journalists and predicting how the current government initiatives will pan out!!!

Just a point ...as a classroom teacher ...I returned to work 16 weeks after the birth of my first child...used a childminder who was definately not expensive......it took up 60% of my salary!!! ( In 1986) So ...25% currently is peanuts! I did it because I was career minded and the remaining 40% plus my husbands salary was enough.....just.

Thanks again for the sign posting of interesting info.

I have been saying this all along. I returned to work in 1993 when my dd was 6mths. I was a well paid Catering Manager and my very reasonably priced childminder took 60% of my net income. No Tax credits or Vouchers either. Parents who are paying out 25% of income now and have Tax Credits or Vouchers don't know how lucky they are.

Then take into account that I got only 6 weeks at 90% pay, 6 week SMP and was allowed 29 weeks off with a firm return to work but the additional weeks were unpaid! Now they can have up to 52 weeks off and have the right of their job back and most have at least 6 months paid.

[Simona]

I have been saying this all along. I returned to work in 1993 when my dd was 6mths. I was a well paid Catering Manager and my very reasonably priced childminder took 60% of my net income. No Tax credits or Vouchers either. Parents who are paying out 25% of income now and have Tax Credits or Vouchers don't know how lucky they are.

Then take into account that I got only 6 weeks at 90% pay, 6 week SMP and was allowed 29 weeks off with a firm return to work but the additional weeks were unpaid! Now they can have up to 52 weeks off and have the right of their job back and most have at least 6 months paid.

I agree with your points Rickysmiths...today mothers do get better benefits...and so they should
They still fight for equality in the workplace...and so they should
They fight for equal pay...and I support that fully

They want their rights to stay at home...or the right to return to work if they wish.....and I totally agree with those choices as in this country childhood is being cut so short women hardly have the time to enjoy their children and be mothers

I also feel that many parents want their children in school early...that is 'free childcare' to them
They want to stay at home and I agree their children should be included in early education if it is ever to be a truly universal benefit for all children

But I really think that many of these parents forget the govt does invest in EY ...although I think they have lost track of where the money goes...even Truss kept making mistakes on how much is invested..5bn ...or is it 7bn?

The investment is huge and yet it is providers who have to subsidise the early education funding...it is CMs who are being begged to join the 2 year old scheme as they truly need us for it to succeed...so the poorly paid now subsidise the poor?

How many of these parents actually understand that we are not that well off and yet asked to give up the very same thing they want: equality, better pay and the right to earn a decent living!

How many of these mums understand the crippling expenses we have to face and the fact they have risen without mercy under this govt and will continue to do so...someone tweeted back to me last night : 'all childcare is expensive'! that shows how little this mum knows

No political party has come up with anything concrete...there is in fact no difference in their policies...they all want to attract female voters and provide them with the opportunity to return to work as they see the £££ going to the Treasury while in the process making life difficult for 54,000 small businesses run by 'women'!
As for Labour wanting 25 hrs of free childcare I wait with baited breath to be told who is going to pay for it??

I really think it is time for our associations to stand up and challenge the govt....I hear good arguments from PLA but they do not come from all of them!
what we really need is a Union but, as we will never get one to represent us, we may need to learn to shout a bit louder!

Lets see what the Autumn statement has in store today than has not already been leaked

By the way the Chancellor is giving £150m to school to expand their kitchens and get ready to provide 'free meals' for school children...yet another policy where the poor subsidise the rich!!