Daycare Trust to release findings on childcare and BME families

The findings of the Daycare Trust's Ensuring Equality project, sponsored by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, will be launched at the British Academy, London, at 9.30am on Wednesday May 21st. To find out more please email: jcaluori@daycaretrust.org.uk

Early years education helps level the playing field for children in poverty, and high-quality childcare helps poor parents to work and earn money.

So, with around two-thirds of black and minority ethnic (BME) families living below the poverty line, why does childcare in the UK still wear a largely white, middle-class face? And why are so many families from minority communities not taking up childcare places?

This puzzle is at the heart of a wide-ranging investigation of BME families and childcare by Daycare Trust, due to report its findings on May 21st.

The Ensuring Equality project talked to parents and childcare workers across England to explore attitudes to early childhood education and care among ethnic communities, and levels of ethnic diversity in childcare settings.

The research shows that there is a huge range of needs, experiences and cultural values among BME families, allowing no "one size fits all" analysis of their problems.

A recent strand of the project interviewed childcare workers from various ethnic backgrounds at children's centres across England on how to engage BME families. The research highlighted the many ways in which children's centres in particular worked with BME families to engage with and celebrate the wide range of cultures and ethnicities in the UK.

The final phase of the research is captured in a report called Local approaches to ensuring childcare for BME families, examining how local authorities monitor ethnic diversity in childcare and how this monitoring is being used to encourage take up of services by BME communities. The report highlights how, although the level of monitoring of ethnic monitoring in childcare varies considerably between local authorities, it appears to be improving, partly due to the recent Childcare Sufficiency Assessment exercise.

Report author Jonathan Rallings said "We found a mixed picture out there currently, with local authorities approaching monitoring of ethnicity in childcare from different starting points with different methods. However, our findings suggest that monitoring is a priority area for many authorities now because it underpins successful engagement with all communities, helping raise awareness of services available and building take-up. With the increased migration both within and from outside the UK this is an issue that is increasingly important in all areas of the country."

Additionally the report also emphasises the importance of obtaining qualitative data from BME communities about their perceptions and experiences of childcare, and recommends that priority is given to collecting data that reflects the needs of staff conducting outreach and take up activity.

Findings of this report, as well as a summary paper outlining the work of the Ensuring Equality Project as a whole will be showcased at a launch event at the British Academy, London, on May 21st with speakers including Patrick Diamond of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Further details are available on Daycare Trust's website, www.daycaretrust.org.uk.


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NOTES TO EDITORS

About Daycare Trust

Daycare Trust is the national childcare charity, campaigning for quality affordable accessible childcare for all and raising the voices of children, parents and carers. We advise parents and carers, providers, employers, trade unions and policymakers on childcare issues. We recognise that everyone is unique and we value difference in our communities. We listen to all views and are committed to act without prejudice. We oppose all discrimination and promote equality in all we do.
Daycare Trust is calling on the Government to

1. Meet parents' aspirations for universal childcare services by:
- expanding free places for two, three and four-year olds to at least 20 hours a week, for 48 weeks in the year and
- subsidising out of school activities for all 11-14s and for younger children from poorer families, aiming ultimately to make them free.

2. Tackle the affordability crisis by giving local authorities the means to develop sustainable services in poorer areas and provide free places for those missing out, including places for disabled children, parents needing out of hours care, Further Education students and parents of under-threes who want to train.

3. Set new standards for the pay of childcare workers, either through national benchmarks or incentives such as the Graduate Leader Fund.

Daycare Trust runs an information line (020 7840 3350) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am-5pm. Parents can also visit www.daycaretrust.org.uk for information.
Daycare Trust is a member of the Campaign to End Child Poverty, www.ecpc.org.uk.
For further information, contact Daycare Trust on 020 7840 3350.