Affordable early years education and childcare potentially enables parents, particularly…

Affordable early years education and childcare potentially enables parents, particularly mothers, to be in paid employment. International studies 1 that countries with greater enrolment rates in publicly funded or provided childcare also have higher maternal employment rates, 2 untangling causal relationships is complex. From the point of view of the household, additional income, especially for the less well-off, is itself associated with better outcomes for children, as child poverty has been shown to be a key independent determinant of children’s outcomes. 3 the point of view of the public purse, as mothers 4 employment they are likely to claim fewer benefits and to generate extra revenues 5 income tax and national insurance.