NEWS
Government’s “£40 a week saving” claim challenged
The Alliance has challenged the government’s claims that plans to change early years ratios could result in a £40 a week saving for parents of two-year-olds.
The government’s claim is based on the following calculation:
“Staff costs account for 74% of overall costs in early years settings. Moving from a ratio for 1:4 to 1:5 for two-year-olds would cut staff costs by 20%. 20% x 74% = 15%. The average weekly cost of early years places is £265 and 15% of £265 is £40; therefore parents could save £40 per week.”
These calculations are based on the assumption that all nurseries and pre-schools are currently working to a 1:4 ratio at all times and that they will move to a 1:5 ratio at all times. It also assumes that the entirety of savings would be passed on to the parents through lower fees.
However, a recent Alliance survey of more than 9,000 early years providers found that just 51% of providers were delivering two-year-old place at maximum ratios all the rime – so around a half already have the scope to work to more relaxed ratios but choose not to. The same survey found that just 2% of nurseries and pre-schools believe that parental fees at their setting would lower as a result of changes to ratio rules.
The calculations also assume that all settings have the physical space to be able to increase the number of children they care for and educate, while still complying with legal limits on floor space per child – this is not something the government is consulting on changing.
Proposals on childminders “risk undermining professionalism of the sector”, Alliance warns
Proposals aiming to increase the number of childminders in England risk “undermining the professionalism of the sector” the Alliance has warned.
Under the plans announced on 4 July, the government says it hopes to:
- reduce the cost upfront cost of becoming a childminder through financial support
- allow childminders to spend more of their time working from an increased number of locations, such as at a community centre or church hall
- give childminders greater flexibility within ratios when looking after their own children or siblings of other children
- working with Ofsted to reduce inspections
- slimming down the childminder-specific EYFS, reducing the framework by one third to ensure that it is “targeted and simpler to navigate”
Alliance writes to health minister over milk scheme changes
The Alliance has written to the Department of Health and Social Care to raise concerns about planned changes to the Nursery Milk Scheme.
The scheme, which is operated by the Nursery Milk Reimbursement Unit (NMRU) on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care, entitles children under five attending early years settings to received 1/3 pint of milk each day free of charge.
Under planned changes, as of August 2022, early years settings participating in the scheme will be required to:
- upload a redacted copy of their attendance registers onto their online Nursery Milk account, showing the date, child name (crossed out for confidentiality), date of birth, and hours of attendance
- note any child who was unexpectedly absent (generally due to sickness) but for whom milk was ordered
Writing to health minister Maggie Throup, Neil raised serious concerns of the impact of the change on the sector, particularly at a time of severe staffing shortages.
Neil's letter stated: "As you may be aware, the early years sector is in the midst of a severe recruitment and retention crisis, with a recent Alliance survey finding that nearly two-thirds of settings are currently recruiting for roles, while around half have had to rely on temporary staff to remain open. This followed a previous Alliance survey which found that excessive paperwork and administrative requirements were the most commonly-cited sources of stress among early educators.
"Given both these issues, we are extremely concerned that the proposed changes to the Nursery Milk Scheme will place an unnecessary additional burden on an already overworked, overwhelmed and under-resourced workforce. In turn, our fear is that this will force many settings to withdraw from the scheme, which will either create an extra financial burden for those who opt to buy their milk privately, or risk the loss of an important source of health and nutrition for children at settings who cannot afford to do so.”
UK making only “very slow progress” on early inequalities, IFS says
The UK is making “very slow progress” on early inequalities, according to new research from the IFS.
The research institute says that data on children born in the UK in 2000-2002 showed “large gaps” in development by age three, based on sex, ethnicity and socio-economic circumstances – as well as geographic differences.
The data shows large gaps in children's development by age three.
When compared to children born in 2010-2021, the IFS says that there was “no significant change in the gap in development” between children with low- and high-educated mothers or those in the most and least deprived areas.
The IFS says that, while there is a lack of data evidencing how things have changed between these two cohorts, there are “indications” that there was a “narrowing of inequalities” in early development before the mid 2010s followed by a “widening”. The institute also warned that the Covid-19 pandemic may have worsened early inequalities.
Neil Leitch, CEO of the Alliance, commented: "The IFS report rightly states that a child’s experiences in the early years shapes their later life outcomes ‘to a remarkable degree’. Given this, if the government is truly committed to its 'levelling up’ agenda, then surely there is no better place to start than in the early years.
“Early educators play a pivotal role in ensuring that all children, regardless of background, get the best possible start in life. Ministers simply must recognise this, and invest in our vital sector accordingly, if we are to have any chance of closing the inequality gap once and for all.”
Less than a fifth of public understand the importance of the early years, survey finds
New research commissioned by the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood has found that just 17% of the public understand the unique importance of the early years relative to other development stages.
70%
of people believe that the early years should be "more of a priority for society as a whole"
New research commissioned by the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood has found that just 17% of the public understand the unique importance of the early years relative to other development stages.
Conducted by Ipsos UK, the survey asked 4,682 adults about their views on early childhood development. The Duchess of Cambridge will also discuss the results at a roundtable event with the early years sector.
The survey also found that 91% agree that the early years are important and 70% believe that it should be “more of a priority for society as a whole”.
The Duchess of Cambridge commented: “If we come together to raise the importance of early childhood development, we’ll soon see that healthy, happy individuals make for a healthier, happier world. Which is why every second we spend with a child, is an investment in our collective future.”
Neil Leitch, CEO of the Alliance, said: "At a time when government policy threatens to undermine and devalue the work of our vital sector, we hope that these findings give ministers real pause for thought."
Cost of early years places prevents mothers from working, survey suggests
The cost of early years places is preventing mothers from returning to work, according to a new poll by the New Statesman. Using a weighted sample of 2,000 people the magazine found that, 60% said that early years places are “unaffordable” and 70% said that is was a “significant reason” why mothers choose to be stay-at-home parents.
A higher proportion of women agreed with the statement, with 74% saying that this is a “significant reason” for mothers choosing not to return to work compared to 65% of men.
Neil Leitch, CEO of the Alliance, commented: “This research is yet further proof that the government’s approachto the early years in this country is not fit for purpose. For years, early years funding has failed to keep up with the soaring cost of delivering places, leaving many providers with no choice but to increase fees to stay afloat.
“This has left many parents not only struggling to meet the cost of early
years places, but as this survey has shown, forced to make sacrifices in their careers as well. And of course, such a short-sighted approach to early years policy in this country not only impacts parents’ ability to work but, crucially, risks more and more children missing out on vital early education opportunities and experiences.“
TUC warns of "catch-22" for parents
The cost of early years provision for children under two-years-old has increased by 44% since 2010, according to new analysis by TUC. The union warned that the rising costs are creating a “catch 22” for parents as rates of maternity pay have fallen in real terms since 2010, putting pressure on them to return to work.
According to the TUC’s analysis, the average cost of a place at nursery for children under two has increased by 44% since 2010, while maternity pay has decreased in real terms by 3%.
The union found that the average cost of a place for a child under two-years-old has increased by £185 a month, or £2,200 a years, since 2010. This takes the average cost of a place to £7,212 a year in 2021 – up 44% from £4,992 in 2010.
Earlier this year, a survey by TUC found that 32% of working parents with children under five were spending more than a third of their wages on childcare and early years education.
The TUC is now calling for “an urgent cash boost for the childcare sector” to improve wages in the sector and ensure that early years provision is affordable for families. The union says that the early years sector is a “vital part of our economic recovery” and should be given similar financial help to that provided to transport networks.
Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the TUC, said: “Childcare and early years education should be affordable for all. But parents are spending a massive chunk of their pay packets on childcare bills, while their wages stagnate.
“[…] The government has done little to support the early years sector – even when nurseries were forced to close during the pandemic. Cutting staffing ratios is the last thing we need. It would just put more pressure on underpaid and undervalued early years workers. We need a proper funding settlement for early years provision that delivers decent pay and conditions for the workforce and high-quality care and education.”