Research by Coram Family and Childcare

Childcare Survey 2017

In its 16th annual Childcare Survey, the Family and Childcare Trust reveals that although there is some reprieve for families as nursery prices held steady and childminder prices rose just above inflation at 1.9 per cent, this will be scarce relief for families who can be spending up to 45 per cent of their disposable income on average childcare costs.

International childcare comparisons

This report looks at innovative approaches to childcare from across the world.

From intergenerational care settings in Japan to subsidised nanny services in Australia, these approaches provide useful insight into how childcare in the UK can move forward to better support families.

Driving high quality childcare: the role of local authorities

This report seeks to show how local authorities in England influence the quality of early years provision, shed light on the strengths and weakness of current approaches, and make recommendations for future policy and practice to drive higher quality provision. The report is based on an analysis of the structure of each local authority’s early years funding formula and a survey of local authority early years quality improvement teams.

Family Information Services Survey 2015 – 2016

The Family Information Services Survey reports on the evolving role of Family Information Services and the pressures they face. Bringing together the voices of Family Information Services from across the country, the Survey maps the state of provision in the UK and highlights good practice.

Holiday Childcare Survey 2016

Every year the Family and Childcare Trust conducts a survey to gather information about the price of holiday clubs and their availability across Britain. This years’ Holiday Childcare Survey, the 15th in the series, shows that over the summer break parents face both high prices and shortages of childcare, and the situation is worse for certain regions and groups of families.

Childcare Survey 2016

Since 2002 the Family and Childcare Trust has undertaken an annual survey, measuring the price and availability of childcare. The publication of this year’s survey, the 15th in the series shows that price rises have slowed compared with last year and are now increasing in line with inflation, although childcare remains a substantial item of family expenditure.

Implementing the Family Test: A review of progress one year on

The Family Test was formally introduced in October 2014 and implemented through guidance co-produced by the Department for Work and Pensions with the relationship support sector. This report seeks to identify how successfully the Family Test has been implemented to date and what can be learnt to ensure the Test becomes an integral and effective part of the policy making process.

In for a pound: the relationship between staff wages and Ofsted grades in group-based childcare provision

Analysis of 900 job advertisements undertaken between October – December 2015 showed that early years settings graded ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted paid non-supervisory staff an average of £1.45 per hour more than those deemed ‘inadequate’ or ‘requiring improvement’. These findings are significant as it is only high quality early years provision that has the capacity to narrow the developmental gaps between disadvantaged children and their peers, a stated objective of Government policy.

Creating an anti-poverty childcare system

This paper focuses on the impact of high-quality early education and effective early intervention, which can act as protective factors for children against the negative effects of poverty. It also highlights how access to flexible, affordable childcare can reduce pressures on family income and help parents work, train or study. The report finds that the current UK childcare system falls short of fulfilling its potential to help reduce the effects of poverty on children.

Holiday Childcare Survey 2015

Every year the Family and Childcare Trust conducts a survey to gather information about the price of holiday clubs and their availability across Britain. This year our survey shows many parents will still face a lottery of high prices and gaps in provision.