Conservative Women's Organisation

Childcare Questionnaire

Today there are more demands and expectations placed on women than ever before. Around 70% of working age women are now in employment compared with only 56% in 1971. The number of mothers who are working has also risen sharply from 57% in 1992 to around 67% now. Financial pressures (for example two salaries needed to pay the mortgage on the family home) mean that many women with children have no choice about whether they return to work. Single mothers (now 23% of the total) face a particularly difficult task juggling work and home life. For nearly all mothers, therefore, the issue of childcare is extremely important.

As the Conservative Party develops policy on this topic, the Party needs to consider to what extent it should be supporting women, which families it should be targeting to help and which policies would achieve the best possible outcomes for children. We also need to look at which types of childcare give children the best start in life with the suitability of childcare for one age group being not necessarily appropriate for another.

Please can you help us by giving us your views on this very important subject:

Your Details:

First Name: *
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Surname: *
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Address: *
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Town *
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County *
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Postcode: *
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Phone Number:  
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Email: *
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  Tick this box to be added to the CWO Information Service:


The Questionnaire:

1.   How important is the issue of childcare to women?
     
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2.   Do you think the Government should help parents financially with the cost of childcare?
     
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2a.   Do you think that the Government should give financial help only to those who are employed or should they extend financial help to all mothers?
     
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2b.   If so, which age groups should they provide help for? (Tick all that apply)
     Under 1 Year Old
     1-2 Years Old
     2-4 Years Old
     School Age
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3.   Should childcare costs be tax deductible?
     
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4.   Do you think that the Government should support everyone regardless of income (as with child benefit) or should they target support to those in need?
     
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5.   Do you think that the Government and Local Authorities should financially support women being able to have a choice in the type of childcare they can access – both private (eg nurseries, childminders, nannies and au pairs) and state run (nurseries and after school clubs)?
     
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6.   Do you think that the Government should financially support women who want to access informal childcare in the form of neighbours, friends or grannies?
     
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7.   Do you think that people who look after children for payment should have a qualification or do you think that non-qualified relatives such as a grandmother or a neighbour can be just as good or even better?
     
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8.   Do you think that the Conservative Party has been seen too interested in mothers at home and not enough in mothers in the workplace?
     
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9.   Do you think that the Conservative Party should encourage more childcare businesses to be set up?
     
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10.   To help with childcare should the Conservative Party encourage businesses to encourage the setting up of workplace nurseries?
     
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11.   Do you think it is right that private nurseries have to charge VAT on their fees while state run ones do not have to?
     
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12.   What types of childcare do you think are suitable for: (Tick all that apply)
     
  Under 1
Year Olds		 1-2 Year
Olds		 2-4 Year
Olds		 School
Age
State Run Nurseries
Private Nurseries
Childminders
Au pairs
Nannies
After school clubs
Family
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13.   If you had to pick the best type of childcare for each age group which would it be? (Tick one for each age group)
     
  Under 1
Year Olds		 1-2 Year
Olds		 2-4 Year
Olds		 School
Age
State Run Nurseries
Private Nurseries
Childminders
Au pairs
Nannies
After school clubs
Family
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14.   Is there any other comment you would like to make?
     


About Yourself:

1.   Do you have children?
     
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2a.   If so, how old are they? (Tick all that apply)
     Under 1 Year Old
     1-2 Years Old
     2-4 Years Old
     School Age
     18-21 Years Old
     Over 21
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2b.   Did you work when your children were small?
     Under 1 Year Old
     1-2 Years Old
     2-4 Years Old
     School Age (5-12)
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2c.   Are you single?
     
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3.   Do you work in paid employment?
     
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4.   Do you do voluntary work?
     
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5.   If you were a mum with children under 5 and finances/childcare were not a consideration would you prefer to?
     


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Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party, both at 30 Millbank, London, SW1P 4DP