A think tank has suggested that mothers of young children should be given up to £8,000 a year to stay at home to look after their youngsters.
Researchers at the Civitas think tank are to urge the Government to make the childcare allowance available to help stay-at-home mums after Department of Education officials were reportedly locked in "intense conversations" over how to improve childcare in England and make it more affordable.
Civitas, the Institute for the Study of Civil Society, recommends that existing child benefit and childcare grants should be bundled into a single 'family support benefit' that would give parents of children under the age of four up to £8,000 a year. It says the money could be spent on external childcare, paying a relative to look after the kids or supporting parents staying at home to do so.
The Daily Telegraph reports that the think tank estimates there are more than two million "miserable mums" stuck at work who would rather be at home looking after their children. A government survey in 2019 found that two-thirds of mothers with children under four would prefer to work fewer hours to stay at home.
Frank Young, head of children and families at Civitas, told the Telegraph: "For over 30 years, governments have pushed parents into work and subsidised childcare. This isn't listening to mothers. Childcare policy is the wrong way around."
The proposal suggests letting parents claim their full allocation of child benefit, which would usually be paid until their child is 18, while youngsters are under five. This would increase the annual payment from £1,114 to £5,101.
It also suggests increasing child benefit to pre-2010 levels, boosting the figure to £6,273. This would then be boosted by almost £2,000 to replace existing childcare subsidies such as the grant for 15 to 30 hours childcare for parents of children aged three or four that is currently paid directly to nurseries.
Anne Fennell, chair of the Mother at Home Matter campaign, said: "Conversations around childcare must positively include and recognise those mothers who would prefer the choice to carry out this valuable work themselves."
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