London Assembly probes high costs of London childcare

A public investigation into the cost of childcare and whether it’s available to all parents is being launched by the London Assembly.

The childcare market is estimated to be worth �1 billion in London, with parents facing fees on average a third more than the rest of the country.

So the Assembly’s public services committee begins examining childcare next week and is interested in hearing from parents.

“We’ve all heard stories about difficulties finding childcare and exorbitant costs,” said the Assembly’s public services chair Victoria Borwick.

“But we want to find out what the situation is like and how it could be improved. Reliable and affordable childcare is one of the most important issues for parents.”

Her committee has invited experts to its public meeting next Wednesday (July 13) to discuss childcare and whether there are inequalities across London, how welfare reform will affect ‘affordability’ and the impact on families by changes affecting Sure Start children centres. The meeting is at 2.30pm at City Hall, near Tower Bridge.