Purnima Tanuku OBE, Chief Executive of National Day Nurseries Association said: "The survey released by findababysitter.com confirms what an important issue childcare is to parents.
"It also reflects the ongoing issue of cost and how the expense of good quality childcare can be a barrier to parents’ working.
"Findababysitter.com’s survey, which states the cost of childcare has gone up by 19% in the past year focuses on more informal childcare such as babysitters as well as nannies, housekeepers and childminders.
"But the nursery sector reflects a different trend and the evidence collected in NDNA’s Business Performance Survey, as quoted by DfE, shows increases are not remotely at this level.
"More than half of the members surveyed, 58%, said they had frozen their fees. Many made the decision as they know how hard it is for working parents who are themselves facing pay freezes. Keeping prices level can make a big difference to a family’s income.
"However for the childcare providers struggling to keep prices down, the gap between the amount they are paid for funded places and the actual reality of the delivery cost continues to be a problem.
"The Government needs to overhaul the funding system and ensure places are properly financed to stop the cycle of childcare costs being a barrier to finding work."