Fixing childcare: a Hackney call to action

We want to hear from all parents and carers that live, access or plan to use any type of childcare in Hackney. 

This could mean your child is being cared for in a children’s centre, a public, private, or voluntary nursery, by a childminder, or through any other arrangement (formal and informal) that you use for the care of your child while you are at work or absent for another reason.

For many years, successive governments have failed to fully address the challenges that families face on a daily basis when accessing childcare, such as:

• cost 
• hours 
• the right type of childcare for their needs
• conditions to receive limited free childcare

Hackney has continued to offer some subsidised childcare in its own children’s centres. However, this isn’t a long-term or fair solution for every family that needs reliable childcare to manage their daily lives.

We want to ask for urgent intervention from the central government to fix issues that have been ignored for too long. 

To help us lobby, we want to hear the stories of as many of our parents and carers as possible.

We want to ask the central government to fix the problems that you highlight to us, and make childcare more affordable and accessible for all.

We will share your views and experiences (removing identifying details) with the Department for Education and other relevant central government bodies, and we may also make them public. 

We cannot respond to individual messages or questions. If you would like more information, advice and guidance about childcare in Hackney please contact our Family Information Service. 

If you have any safeguarding concerns please get in touch with the Hackney Children and Families Services Multi Agency Support Hub (MASH).