But how does childcare work in other Western countries?

France has a close to universal system of childcare, which is heavily subsidised by the state.

Nearly 100% of three-year-olds are in pre-school education, despite the fact that school attendance is not compulsory until they turn five.

From the age of three months, children can be looked after either at a state or privately-run cr�che, which are open for around 11 hours a day, or by a state-registered qualified nanny.

Parents pay according to their income - well under �10 a day per family for most, including lunch.

Then, from the age of two-and-a-half to three, children can attend free, state-run nursery schools, where they are educated following a national curriculum.

Schools run from 8.30am until 4.30pm. Many offer childcare services outside these hours, with parents able to leave their children until as late as 7pm for a fee. These services are usually flexible and can be used on an ad hoc basis.

Local authorities are legally obliged to provide pre-school or family day care places for all children aged between one and five for at least three hours a day.

Children do not have to start school until they are seven, but most start aged six in a pre-school year.

Before this age, they be looked after at public nursery schools or by municipal childminders.

Older children, up to the age of 12, can go to activity centres or childminders out of school hours.

Pre-schools and activity centres are open all year round, with opening hours varied to fit in with parents working hours, so they may be open early in the morning and into the early evening.

Fees are capped and usually vary according to how much time a child spends in childcare and the parents' income.

Most would not pay much more than �100 a month for one child, or �200 for three or more children.

Some 75% of children aged one to five are registered in some kind of childcare, as are 65% of children aged six to nine.

From age three, the vast majority of children attend morning and/or afternoon sessions at a public or private kindergarten, at a cost of between �50 and �140 a month, with a two-hour gap in the middle of the day.

All children aged three or over are entitled to at least a morning place by law, though attendance is not compulsory.

There are some kindergartens where children can stay all day, from about 7am until about 5pm but places are limited.

There are nurseries catering for the under-threes but again, places are very limited.

There are also childminders or "day mothers" who provide more flexible care in their own homes.

Childcare varies from state to state, with local authorities in some areas forming partnerships with private organisations to run pre-schools.

Lower income families receive some help from federal and state governments to pay for childcare.

Some employers also help staff with looking after children, either through providing cr�ches or giving subsidies to help pay for private provision.

Some also help with after-school and holiday care but provision is patchy.

Australia has a range of childcare options, which are used by around one in four families on a regular basis.

These include networks of experienced childminders who look after children in their homes and public or private-run day-care centres, which are open all day.

There are also out-of-school hours and holiday activity centres for primary-aged children.