Childcare Bill

I am not sure whether I am allowed to intervene at this stage; I lose track of the procedures. We had a debate about this at another point. When we are talking about childcare and the general welfare and development of the child—and we will come to this again when we start talking about tort and other vocabulary in the Bill—it is important that we do not see young children simply as being part of the education system. That is the serious danger if we start to talk about education in terms of the early years. Education is a crucial part of the whole package. Childcare is understood not only by the profession but by parents as meaning the generality of care of children with development, education and universal ““play”” included. The hundreds of parents to whom I talk know what they want when they are talking about childcare. I am sure that the noble Lord, Lord Northbourne, was not intending that; but as I have struggled with this issue over quite a period I felt that I could not allow it to pass without saying that childcare is so important separated and as part of education.