Daycare Trust
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Daycare Trust is a registered charity and company that campaigns for high quality and affordable childcare in the United Kingdom. It was first established in 1986, and is headquartered in London.
[edit] History
The concept for Daycare Trust emerged in the 1970s in the context of the growing feminist movement. Many women desired both a family and a work life, but the childcare infrastructure was not in place. Additionally, the 1948 Children Act stigmatised parents for "dumping" their children in nurseries, categorising those children as "at risk" and "maternally deprived."
Activists, mostly women, from various organizations campaigned to establish nurseries in various places, primarily in colleges and universities. From there they tackled the issue of quality, and campaigned for better professional training.
In 1986, a group of these activists established Daycare Trust, creating a unified base of support for the childcare movement.
[edit] Mission
Daycare Trust says its mission is to "secure access to high quality affordable childcare for all children in Great Britain where and when they and their parents want and need it, at a price their parents can afford." [1]
The charity defines childcare as "arrangements parents make for their children when they are not looking after the children themselves; this could be in individual or group care in a variety of settings, including at home." [2]
Daycare Trust seeks to achieve its mission by:
- conducting and compiling childcare research,
- drafting policy papers,
- lobbying British Parliament to improve childcare costs and quality in England, Wales, and Scotland
It also provides advice and information to parents, childcare providers, the media, and various related organisations.
[edit] Policy Recommendations
Following the charity's 21st birthday, Daycare Trust released 21 policy recommendations for British Parliament. The recommendations fall into four general categories:
- Improving the quality of childcare
- Improving the affordability of childcare
- Building universal and inclusive childcare services
- Giving parents the choices necessary for balancing family and work life [3]
