Timesonline.co.uk | Single parents 'will have to return to work'

Rosemary Bennett
The Times 31 January 2007

'Single parents will be expected to go back to work when their youngest child starts secondary school under the biggest shake-up in their benefits since the controversial cuts in 1997. [ ... John Hutton, Work & Pensions Secretary, said:]
“As we develop wraparound childcare, so we should be prepared to look again at the way we help lone parents return to the labour market. We must raise our aspirations for every working family. The best way we can do this for lone families is by helping all those who can work to get work.”
... But charities said that the problem of childcare needed to be addressed. Sarah Jackson, head of Working Families, said that Sweden spent four times as much on childcare as Britain, so it was not surprising that more lone parents went back to work. She said that parents in Britain met 70 per cent of childcare costs, while the Swedish Government paid 80 per cent.[...]'

Timesonline.co.uk | Soaring childcare fees hit parents

Rosemary Bennett, Social Affairs Correspondent
The Times. January 30, 2007

'Nurseries cost more than public schools
Families warned to expect still bigger rises

New figures reveal that the cost of daycare for babies and young children has increased by almost 30 per cent in six years, more than twice the rate of inflation.
The research, carried out by the Daycare Trust, suggests that full-time nursery care is now not affordable for at least two-thirds of families. Parents in the Home Counties have been worst hit, with bills stretching to £375 a week.[...]'