With an election on the horizon it’s vital that we make our voices heard and encourage constructive conversation addressing early education and childcare.

According to our last Pulse Check research, 42% of voters say reform to the sector will be key in deciding their vote 🔑

Absolutely - expansion without addressing issues surrounding funding and structure will mean that these rollouts mark a false dawn rather than a new era of support for the sector and many of the families who need it most.

Last week, the first phase of the Government's expanded childcare offer begun. Last Monday, working parents of two-year-olds became eligible for 15 hours of subsidised childcare.

This expansion is welcome, but fundamental problems persist... 🧵

Good to see our research with University of Leeds Women's Budget Group and Joseph Rowntree Foundation covered again here.

As we have repeatedly made clear to ALL political parties in this election year: nothing is possible without a clear plan for the early years workforce.

nurseryworld.co.uk/news/article/g…

This week's New Economy Brief brilliantly explains the limitations of the Government's childcare expansion and highlights the pivotal role of early education and childcare in bolstering our economy and advancing gender equality - worth a read👇

Last week, BBC News (UK) visited our Marsham Street Nursery to speak to our Manager Merita Selaci, our CEO June O'Sullivan OBE and one of our parents about the Government's Childcare Expansion.

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan…

1/Today is the first day parents of 2 year olds can access the new childcare funding. There’s lots of coverage of this so let’s remove the politics and talk about what the real issues with this new entitlement are and how families may or may not benefit..

Our CEO June O'Sullivan OBE talks to ITV News about GOV.UK's new free childcare scheme and concerns among providers.
Read the article here:
itv.com/news/2024-03-2…

'You have to value the sector; you have to recognise that we are not glorified babysitters.'

As the extended entitlement offer rolls out, our CEO Neil Leitch spoke to Sky News about the changes needed to give the policy any hope of succeeding in practice: youtube.com/watch?v=_ZkRo4…

Our research with University of Leeds covered in today's Daily Mail reveals the workforce challenges that need to be overcome to make a success of this expansion.

The early education workforce is the building block of this and any future reform.

dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1…

With the Government's new childcare offer launching on Monday, now more than ever we need action to fulfil the promise that these commitments show. That comes in the shape of supporting the early education workforce at risk from being under-rewarded and further overstretched.

'What happens in your early years has the biggest impact on your outcomes at 18'

Interesting to hear Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza on LBC talk about the importance of #EarlyYears education and what can be done about the rising cost of #childcare .

It's good to see Labour commit to maintaining the additional £4bn investment if it comes to power, but following a period of huge uncertainty for families and providers, the party now needs be clear on its plans for reform.

inews.co.uk/news/politics/…

With five days to go until the rollout of the Government’s expanded childcare offer, there remains a major lack of support for the under-resourced and under-rewarded early years workforce tasked with delivering on constantly growing demands.