NEWS

However, the Alliance believes that this calculation was based on a number of flawed assumptions and so filed a complaint to the Office for Statistics Regulation.

In response, the press release which originally made the claim has now been updated to include the source of the £40 calculation and the methods used when calculating it.

Commenting, Neil Leitch, CEO of the Alliance, said: “Time and time again, we have urged the government to rethink their plans on ratios. Instead, it is doing its utmost to convince parents that these changes will lead to savings that it knows full well will never materialise. There is no doubt the high cost of early years provision is a problem that needs to be urgently addressed, but ratios are not the answer. The only way that this issue can be solved is by properly funding the sector in the long term. The sooner government accepts this, the better for everyone."

The Department for Education has shared information for group-based early years providers who wish to apply to become stronger practice hubs. To be eligible to join, settings must be rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted and must be providing pre-reception early education.

Those accepted will be funded for two years, starting in November 2022, to establish a network of local settings with the aim of sharing knowledge. Stronger practice hubs will be expected to proactively share information and advice with other settings, such as through newsletters, blogs and via social media.

They will also need to act as a point of contact for advice, signposting to other funded support where needed.

Providers have until 23 September 2022 to apply for the scheme. Providers are invited to apply through the National Children’s Bureau website here.

The analysis also shows that in some regions see an even higher percentage of children in key worker households living in poverty – such as in the north east (41%), north west (29%) and London (29%).

Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the TUC, commented: “Our amazing key workers got us through the pandemic. The very least they deserve is to be able to provide for their families. But the government is locking too many key worker households into poverty. Ministers’ heartless decision to hold down pay will cause widespread hardship and put the UK at greater risk of recession.

“After the longest squeeze in 200 years we urgently need to get more money in the pockets of working families. After the longest wage squeeze in 200 years we urgently need to get more money into the pockets of working families.”

The Alliance’s analysis of the proposed changes shows that local authorities that are already struggling with availability of early years places – largely in northern England – will be hit much harder by the changes than areas – largely in London and the south east – that have seen rising availability of places in recent years.

The consultation also proposes new fixed minimum and maximum increases to the early years funding rates between 2022/23 and 2023/24. These proposals would see funding rates for local authorities that get the least out of the funding rate formulas see rates increase by just 1% for both two-year-olds and three- and four-year-olds. Those that get the best out of the funding rate formula would see their rates rise by up to 8.6% for two-year-olds and around 4.5% for three- and four-year-olds.

Neil Leitch, CEO of the Alliance, commented: “The government’s insistence on focusing on national statistics when talking about the availability of early years places completely ignores the huge regional discrepancies that have emerged over recent years. What use is it telling a parent that there are plenty of places available across the country if there are none in their local area? Ultimately, until there is enough money in the early years funding pot to begin with, there will always be areas that lose out, no matter how it is distributed. The government simply must commit to investing what our vital sector needs to remain viable. Ignoring this problem will not make it go away.”

A new report from Action for Children shows that more than a third of low income families are struggling to access early years support. According to a survey conducted by the charity, parents with a low income are 40% more likely to have difficulty accessing early support compared to high income families.

The survey found that 42% of parents with children under five had struggled to, or been unable to access support services in the past five years. Almost a quarter had been completely unable to access at least one service, with Black, Asian and minority ethnic parents, younger parents and fathers more likely to have faced difficulty accessing services.

The charity has called on the next Prime Minister to ensure that all families have access to early years services in their local area as part of the ‘levelling up’ plans.
The survey also found that 66% of parents wanted more support, with the rising cost of living already taking a toll as those who were not in walking distance of services cited the cost of petrol or public transport as their biggest barrier.

Rossanna Trudgian, head of campaigns and public affairs at Action for Children, said: “Every child deserves a chance at having the best start in life, that’s why we’re worried that disadvantaged children are being denied access to the services that allow them to catch up and level up for when they start school.

“We urge the next Prime Minister to take urgent action to deliver a long-term plan for early years services with sustained investment in parenting support to ensure every child gets the foundations they need to thrive.”

Neil Leitch, CEO of the Alliance, added: “Now more than ever, amid rocketing energy prices and soaring inflation, children and their families need support. For all the government rhetoric on ‘closing the gap’, ‘improving life chances’ and ‘levelling up’, words alone are not enough to change the outlook for low-income families. If ministers are genuinely committed to ensuring that children and families are able to access the early support they need, they must invest in the services that deliver this.

“All families, regardless of their background or circumstances should be able to access high-quality support and early education – and there is a wealth of research that shows just how significant an impact these services can have on children’s futures. But without proper funding, this is an impossible task. How much worse does the situation need to get for the government to sit up, listen and take action?”

Ofsted also noted that “fewer children are ready for the move up to Reception than would have been expected before the pandemic”. It also said that elsewhere younger children had missed learning opportunities where providers were focused on getting the oldest children ready for school.

The report also flagged concerns about lower take-up of the two-year-old funded offer and cited parental anxiety and a lack of awareness as possible reasons for this.
A majority of providers were still working with some Covid-19 restrictions, such as limiting parent and carer access to setting buildings, despite the legal restrictions being lifted.

Providers said that this was in attempt to reduce the risk of staff illness and flagged a lack of guidance and direction from the government. The report says: “They are worried about getting it wrong and are so nervous about easing restrictions.”

The report also highlighted concerns around staffing, with “most providers” reporting difficulty in recruiting and retaining qualified staff. The report says: "The challenges in recruiting and retaining staff are having a negative impact on how a provider can plan, both for children’s learning opportunities and financially."

Neil Leitch, CEO of the Alliance, commented: “There’s no doubt that all these issues can be solved if the government finally addresses the need to significantly increase funding to enable educators to offer more training, opportunities and, crucially, a fair wage to encourage staff to both join and remain in the sector. Once again, Ofsted’s update on the early years sector highlights how vital early years educators have been in helping children develop and catch-up on key education and social skills during the pandemic. It’s time the government recognised this fact and gave the sector the respect, appreciation and, most importantly, investment that it needs."

Families working in the armed forces will be offered up to 20 hours of funded childcare during term-time, under a new scheme announced by the Ministry of Defence. The scheme will be open to parents with children aged between four- and 11-years-old starting in the autumn term.

The scheme aims to support military families with the unique challenges they face, such as frequent relocations, new schools and childcare provision. The Ministry of Defence believes that more than 20,000 children will benefit as a result.

The scheme has already been piloted in six areas of England, with 1,900 children accessing the offer. Families reported an increase in wellbeing and increased contentment for non-serving partners as well as financial savings.

Ben Wallace, defence secretary, commented: “Our Armed Forces personnel sacrifice a great deal in the service of their country and whether it is providing flexible working or accommodation options, I am determined they feel supported in their family life. Providing free wraparound childcare is another clear way of supporting the unique challenges they face as parents and will go a long way to helping them enjoy a thriving family life as well as a thriving career.”