An extension to pre-school credit - to apply to childminding as well as nursery fees - is on the cards if Tynwald gives the idea the thumbs-up.

Next week, the Manx parliament will be asked to approve the proposal to extend the pre-school credit for parents of three- to four-year-olds so that it also applies to childminder fees as well as nursery costs. It will also be asked for support to ’develop a clear pathway to extend pre-school credit to two- to three-year-olds’.

And there could also be improvements to maternity and paternity leave rights in the island, with a recommendation for a review of employment legislation to make it more ’family friendly’.

The recommendations are contained within a Department of Education, Sport and Culture progress report on its work to develop a childcare strategy for the Isle of Man.

This follows the findings of a select committee last year that parents were suffering from a serious lack of nursery provision for children aged up to two and issues with childcare costs for parents of children in the three to four years old category.

At present, parents of three- to four-year-olds are entitled to pre-school credit amounting to £3,420 to help with nursery costs. Extending this to apply to childminder fees for children in the same age bracket would have ’no extra cost and improve flexibility’, the DESC report says.

The report reveals the average cost of childcare in the island is £45.18 per day for children under two, £34.12 for two-year-olds and £34.52 for three- to four-year-olds.

Following research conducted by the Premier Advisory Group, who asked parents how likely child day care providers would be to offer services if the pre-school credit scheme was extended to two- to three-year-olds - with the answer being ’very likely’ from all centres and the majority of childminders - this idea is now set to be explored.

The report says: ’The DESC, in conjunction with the Treasury and Department for Enterprise, will explore this area over the next 12 months with a view to developing a clear criterion for families accessing funding.’

Another recommendation from the report is ’further work to incentivise under-two childcare provision’, an investigation of ways to change workplace culture to give more support for parents of young children - ’particularly around flexible working’ and to review the ’wraparound care’ (before and after school provision) and school holiday provision, particularly outside Douglas.

There is also a call to ’develop a clear early years pathway’ for children with special educational needs and disabilities, extending the remit to include children with additional educational needs such as adverse childhood experiences.

The initial social affairs policy review committee investigation found that on maternity leave, the island matches the UK of 26 weeks basic and 26 weeks additional leave, although the additional leave in the Isle of Man is available only to those with qualified service.

’The main difference between the Isle of Man and other jurisdictions reviewed is the lack of statutory maternity pay, with Jersey recently increasing theirs from two weeks to six weeks’ normal pay and the UK offering 39 weeks’ pay at 90%.’

Unlike the situation in many other jurisdictions, any paternity leave in the island is unpaid.

The DESC report recommends: ’A review of the Employment Act and suggestions for its enhancements to be more family friendly.

’Particular consideration should be given to statutory maternity leave and either shared parental leave or extended paternity leave to enable better childcare support during the first year of a child’s life.’

Education Minister Graham Cregeen will next week ask Tynwald to receive the report and approve its recommendations.