MORE than four in five parents with pre-school children are struggling to access vital early years services, a shocking new survey has revealed.

Today’s report by the Action for Children charity warned that the Covid-19 pandemic has put support further out of reach as many children’s centres and family hubs closed or moved online. 

Twenty-seven per cent said essential services have been completely unavailable during the crisis as opposed to 22 per cent beforehand, and 82 per cent of parents — 4.3 million people — have been unable or struggled to access support. 

More than three in four are now worried about their child’s social and emotional development as well as their own mental health.

The charity called on Tory ministers to give parents the support they need through a “minimum service guarantee.” 

Reacting to the report, Labour’s shadow minister for children and early years Tulip Siddiq slammed the government’s failure to deliver “high-quality affordable childcare for all.

“It’s time for ministers to put the needs of families first and ensure parents can access vital services which set children up for life,” she said.