Budget 2004 sends right messages on childcare and skills for lone parents but faster progress is needed

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Budget 2004 sends right messages on childcare and skills but faster progress is needed

17/03/04 One Parent Families welcomes the 2004 Budget announcements promising more money for SureStart programmes and childcare and a commitment to improving skills among single parents.

Director of the charity Kate Green said:

"We welcome the extra money for childcare and early years and the restatement of the goal to have a children's centre in every community, but the speed of roll-out of the centres is not fast enough to meet the Government's lone parent employment target. Without a more rapid increase in the provision of childcare, real progress for lone parents will be impossible. "

On the new skills-building provisions Ms Green said:

"It is a breakthrough to hear the Chancellor talk about the need to upskill single parents. Half of lone parents on income support have no qualifications and helping them to access training and education has long been a neglected area of Government policy. The Government has at long last recognised that access to skills must be part of the New Deal for Lone Parents if we are to avoid trapping single parents in low- skilled jobs on poverty wages. "

FURTHER INFORMATION FROM JANE AHRENDS ON 020 7428 5416

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