News

Years of underfunding of key planks of the childcare offers, and a lack of vision or strategy for the early years sector has led to a childcare system that is both unaffordable and inaccessible.

With just over two months to go until the next phase in the roll-out of major expansion to free childcare, councils across England* have raised concerns about having enough places to meet demand, identifying the childcare workforce as their biggest concern, in new research published by Coram Family and Childcare (CFC) today.

The Conservative party’s manifesto outlines its plan to continue the current childcare expansion, with the final phase providing 30 hours of funded childcare per week to children with eligible working parents, from the age of nine months until they start school. We welcomed this investment when it was announced in the Spring budget last year and are pleased to see the commitment continued.

The Liberal Democrat manifesto commitment to early years and childcare is a welcome recognition of the importance of getting things right in the early years. We have been calling for Early Years Pupil Premium to be brought in line with Primary Pupil Premium, and this proposed increase would be a good first step to making sure disadvantaged children do not miss out on their right to an early education.

Labour’s plan to create 100,000 new nursery places is a welcome step in reforming our childcare system, and would help address the childcare shortages we see across the country.

This month, the first phase of the potentially game-changing expansion of funded childcare rolled out across England. Amid problems with troublesome temporary codes, and competition for childcare places, eligible working parents of 2-year-olds can now access 15 hours per week of funded childcare, during term time.

We welcome the Chancellor’s commitment in today’s Budget to guarantee rates being paid to providers over the next two years. We have been vocal in our concerns that the sector will struggle to meet parents' needs because of the gap between the funding rates and the real cost of delivery.

Ahead of the Government’s roll-out of major expansion to free early education entitlements from April 2024, local authorities across England* have indicated concerns about having sufficient childcare places to meet demand, in new research published by Coram Family and Childcare today.

Our recent research found that the vast majority (88%) of councils identify the childcare workforce as a barrier to successful delivery of the extra childcare that is being rolled out from April. Today’s announcement is a welcome step in addressing these issues and in recognising the valuable and rewarding work of early years professionals.