POLICY UPDATE
As we head into the new academic year, there’s no denying the real sense of change in the air for our sector. Within the first few weeks of the new government coming into power, we had a new minister not for ‘childcare’, or even for ‘the early years’, but for ‘early education’ – a clear recognition of something we have all long argued: that early years provision is education. Only a few days earlier, the newly-appointed education secretary had, in one of her first interviews in post, stated that the early years was her “number one priority”.
For a sector so often overlooked and undervalued, there’s no doubt that this marks a welcome change in rhetoric, and one we can only hope continues over the years to come. But of course, warm words – while welcome – are not the same as actions, and it’s clear that the road ahead remains an incredibly difficult one.
With the rollout of the second phase of the early entitlement expansion now underway, the issues of inadequate early years funding and staffing shortages remain as pressing as ever. These hurdles will not be easily overcome. In a parliamentary debate back in July, education secretary Bridget Phillipson warned that the challenges facing the early entitlement rollout are “considerable”, arguing that “the last government did not have a proper plan”.
And with so much focus on Labour’s plan to create additional early years places on school premises – via both maintained and PVI providers – clarity over the new government’s long-term vision for the early years, and the role that private and voluntary nurseries, pre-schools and childminders, alongside wider support services such as baby and toddler groups, will play is urgently needed.
Nevertheless, given what the sector has been through over recent years, the chance for a fresh start and to build new relationships with new ministers and MPs – from across the political spectrum – is one to be welcomed. We at the Alliance look forward to working closely with the new government and ensuring that the views and concerns of our members are represented at the highest level. In the meantime, I hope you find this overview of what we’ve been doing over the past few months useful.
Neil Leitch, CEO, Early Years Alliance
Out and about
Behind the scenes
Giving evidence to the Low Pay Commission
In July, Alliance CEO Neil Leitch was asked to provide oral evidence as part of the Low Pay Commission’s upcoming inquiry into the impact of the national living and minimum wage. During the session Neil discussed the status and recognition of early educators, the mental health and wellbeing of the workforce, and the Alliance’s call for the government to publish a set for pay ambitions for the sector, alongside adequate funding to enable providers to meet those salary expectations.
Visit to one of the Alliance’s settings with Stephen Morgan MP
We were very pleased to invite the new early education minister alongside Southend East and Rochford MP Bayo Alaba to visit Cockleshell Nursery in Southend over the summer, where they had the chance to witness the incredible work of early educators firsthand. During the visit, they discussed the sector’s recruitment and retention challenges, the ongoing rollout of the early entitlement expansion and the critical importance of early education and care, both on a child’s development and in later life.
Meetings with the Early Education and Childcare Coalition
As a steering group member of the Early Education and Childcare Coalition (a group of more than 30 organisations working collaboratively to lobby for better support the early years), we’re pleased to have been central to discussions over recent weeks around the Coalition’s post-election priorities. During recent meetings, we have been actively involved in discussion on plans to engage with the new government and how best to achieve the Coalition’s manifesto aims of better sector funding, more support for the workforce and a greater focus on SEND, among other priorities.
Under 5 magazine
The magazine of the Early Years Alliance