Colman Noctor: Afterschool clubs need to open their doors to all children 

Afterschool clubs are not the only effective option — relatives and childminders can also offer warmth and stability. However, when access to enriching opportunities depends on income, we risk entrenching inequality in childhood.

An ESRI study on the difference between children born a decade apart shows that afterschool childcare has switched from a matter of choice to being dictated by circumstance. Picture: iStock 

AT FIRST glance, the latest ESRI report simply examines where children go during the childcare hours between 2pm and 6pm.

But on closer analysis, it offers a glimpse into modern parenting, highlighting the pressures, inequalities, and quiet, emotional efforts that families with schoolgoing children make daily to keep life running smoothly.