Οικονομικές

High-quality childcare greatly improves outcomes in later life. Yet childcare access and usage are distributed unevenly, leading to amplified inequalities in later life outcomes. Parents from low-income households are 50% less likely to use formal childcare services than high-income households, use them when the child is older, and use them less intensively overall. Research has shown that affordable and accessible childcare increases usage, yet policy solutions aimed at removing financial or accessibility barriers have not reduced inequalities.