Childcare support for parents in training and education: review

The review examines what types of support are available; what gaps, if any, in support are present; whether the support available is sufficient to remove the barriers to education and work for these parents and what changes, if any, would be required to reduce the barriers for parents in education or training or seeking to return to work.

Flexible and comprehensive childcare support should be an integral part of support mechanisms to allow parents to access education, training and employment.

Despite the positive impact of childcare support, there are still groups potentially missing out on the opportunity to return to education, training and employment, as well as additional challenges which create barriers for parents.

While there is a need to further explore how those missing out on financial support for childcare could be better supported, it is not recommended that the Childcare Offer should be redesigned to accommodate students and those on the cusp of employment. As an alternative, the gaps in support should be addressed by reviewing the scope of current programmes and creating better links between them.

Actions are required to reduce the complexity of childcare support schemes and eligibility requirements. The methods used to communicate with learners should be reviewed to address promoting the package of support to these target groups and clarify the support available.