Childcare Act 2006
The Childcare Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
Summary
The Act defines new duties for local authorities with respect to:- improving the Every Child Matters outcomes for pre-school children
- childcare for working parents
- parental information services
Structure of the Act
The Act comprises 4 sections:- Part 1 - duties on local authorities in England
- Part 2 - duties on local authorities in Wales
- Part 3 - regulation and inspection arrangements for childcare providers in England
- Part 4 - general provisions
Provisions
The act established a reformed legal framework for regulation and inspection of all early years settings.The act requires local authorities to provide sufficient childcare to meet the needs of working parents with regards to those with disabled children or those on low incomes.
Early Years Foundation Stage
Sections 39-48 introduce the Early Years Foundation Stage which supports the delivery of high quality education and care for children from birth to age 5.Reception
While broadly supporting the original version of the bill, the children's charities 4Children, the Daycare Trust, the National Childminding Association and the Pre-School criticised the lack of provisions for unemployed individuals.Section 109 - Commencement
The following orders have been made under this section:*