Enough funding for providers is voters’ top childcare priority ahead of election
Joe Lepper
Wednesday, July 3, 2024
Voters believe the best way to improve early education and childcare is to ensure providers are properly funded to deliver government schemes such as the expansion of free childcare hours for working families.
This was highlighted as the policy that would make the single biggest difference to childcare in England, in a survey that took place last week among 2,000 people.
Among respondents three in 10 backed adequate funding to ensure providers can cover the cost of delivering government early years schemes.
The next most popular policy was for a workforce strategy for early years to be put in place. This was mentioned by one in eight people who responded to the survey, which has been carried out by the Early Education and Childcare Coalition (EECC).
June O’Sullivan, chief executive of coalition member London Early Years Foundation, said that “whichever political party comes into power on Friday needs to ensure that both the funding and provision will be adequate” to ensure all children can access early years care and education.
She added: “Furthermore, the recruitment of talented, committed and properly rewarded early years staff is critical in helping meet the increase in demand for childcare. If there's a steep shortage of staff, there will inevitably be a shortage of places and this is bad news for children, parents and the economy.”
The Conservative Party’s manifesto has promised to fulfil its aim to give 30 hours of funded childcare a week to working parents of children as young as nine months old by 2025 should it win the general election this week (4 July).
Labour is also committed to this pledge and wants to create a further 3,000 new primary school-based nurseries, adding around 100,000 nursery places.
Last month it emerged that nine in 10 councils are not confident there will be enough places in their area to meet the government's early years expansion plans.
“Substantially increased funding - both now and in the long term - and a comprehensive workforce strategy are key if the next government is to have any chance of ensuring that all families, regardless of their background or location, can benefit from affordable, high-quality early education and care,” said Neil Leitch, chief executive of another coalition member the Early Years Alliance.
The coalition’s survey also found that two thirds of people do not believe the main political parties are promising enough to bring down childcare costs and three in five want to see more pledged to increase availability of places.
Around seven in 10 want the next government to prioritise early education as much as primary schooling.
📢NEW REPORT: Our annual Pulse Check explores voter attitudes towards early education & childcare.
— Early Education and Childcare Coalition (@CoalitionEdCare) June 7, 2024
The public wants to see early years prioritised, places AND funding boosted, and policies that support parents to balance work & parenting
Read it here👉 https://t.co/QZp8ThH6tO pic.twitter.com/MQb98eF5JQ
“As our polling shows, families are not yet convinced that political parties have grasped the scale of the challenge for the early years sector or the pressure facing parents,” said EEC director Sarah Ronan.
“Those running for government need to show they understand that, and more importantly, that they are willing to take action to address the root causes of the crisis in early years.
“That action must include more support for the sector and the early years workforce so they can meet demand and deliver for babies, toddlers and their parents.”
