Government response to petition

[AliceinWonderland]

I received this email early this morning, discuss!

 

The Government has responded to the petition you signed – “Increase the hourly funding rate for 2-4 year old's in early years settings.”.

Government responded:

The Government is making an unprecedented investment in the provision of childcare, which includes a commitment to increase the average funding rate paid to the providers of early year entitlements.

The Government’s regard for the importance of providing free entitlement for childcare is underlined by the fact that more government investment and support than ever before is going towards high quality early education.

In keeping with this Government’s 2015 General Election commitment, funding has been increased by over £1 billon extra per year on free entitlements by 2019-20, including around £300 million for a significant uplift to the rate paid for 2, 3 and 4 year old entitlements. From April 2017, the national average funding rates will increase to £5.39 for two-year-olds and £4.88 for three- and four-year-olds. This shows once more the importance this Government attaches to funding high quality childcare.

Since 2010, the Government has extended the universal three and four year old entitlement from 12 ½ hours to 15 hours of childcare, and has introduced an entitlement for disadvantaged 2 year olds as well. And from 2017-18, the Government will further extend free entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds to 30 hours, doubling the number of funded hours for working parents. This is the first Government to promise such an extensive degree of childcare provision. And the quality of this provision also continues to rise; higher numbers of young children are achieving a “good level of development” than ever before, and 85% of childcare providers are rated as “good” or “outstanding” by Ofsted.

We wish to ensure that the hourly rates that childcare providers receive are sufficient to enable them to continue delivering good quality childcare, both keeping in mind current costs of provision and the implications of future cost pressures facing the sector. This is why the Government, is making a substantial increase in its investment in childcare, including its commitment to increasing the average rate of funding paid to providers. To provide a sound analytical underpinning for what this rate should be, the Government conducted a six-month comprehensive review of the cost of providing childcare; the review was published on 25th November 2015, and can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-childcare-costs

The review was analytically-led, supported by expertise from across government and outside, and based on the best evidence available. It looked at both current costs of provision and the implications of future cost pressures facing the sector, such as the introduction of the National Living Wage. There was a high degree of engagement with the review from across the childcare market, with over 2000 responses received for its Call of Evidence, the majority of which came from providers. This was in turn supplemented by a series of roundtable events with providers, their representatives, and academics. This is the most comprehensive analysis of the childcare market ever and was described by the National Audit Office as “thorough and wide-ranging”. It has provided a clear, detailed and rich understanding of the early education and childcare market, and informed government increases to funding.

While the level of funding provided to childcare by this Government is without historical parallel, the support that the Government is providing in not just limited to funding, it also takes the form of a package of reforms that will support successful delivery of the entitlements.

We are aware that the current funding system for three and four year olds creates unfair and unjustifiable differences between areas, and between types of providers. This is why we are going to introduce a national funding formula for early years. For early years this will help ensure that funding is transparently and fairly matched to need and fairly distributed between different types of providers and different parts of the country. We will be consulting on detailed proposals this year.

The review has shown that some business models do not make full use of the flexibility in the regulatory system- and that high quality care provision can be delivered by providers that do use this flexibility. The review has also shown that there is considerable scope for providers to become more efficient in their practice in order to manage costs within their available revenue.

We now intend to test capacity, flexibility and innovation in the provision of childcare in the Early Implementers Programme which shall start in a small number of areas in September 2016.

The investment announced will take overall government investment in childcare, including through Universal Credit and Tax-Free Childcare, to £6 billion by the end of this Parliament- the highest ever investment in childcare. The additional funding along with other measures is intended to continue this Government’s unprecedented record in the provision of high quality childcare.

Department for Education

Click this link to view the response online:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/106123?reveal_response=yes

The Petitions Committee will take a look at this petition and its response. They can press the government for action and gather evidence. If this petition reaches 100,000 signatures, the Committee will consider it for a debate.

The Committee is made up of 11 MPs, from political parties in government and in opposition. It is entirely independent of the Government. Find out more about the Committee: https://petition.parliament.uk/help#petitions-committee

Thanks,
The Petitions team
UK Government and Parliament

[thumperrabbit]

I received this email early this morning, discuss!

 

We are aware that the current funding system for three and four year olds creates unfair and unjustifiable differences between areas, and between types of providers. This is why we are going to introduce a national funding formula for early years. For early years this will help ensure that funding is transparently and fairly matched to need and fairly distributed between different types of providers and different parts of the country. We will be consulting on detailed proposals this year.

​Am I reading this particular statement right?

To me it contradicts it's self, that there will still be differences?

[AliceinWonderland]

Yes i read it like that too, they say it's unfair and will change it but then also say it will be matched to need/type of provider etc so therefore i see it that there will still be differences. Also they seem to say further up that the new rates will come in from April 2017? I thought that it was September 2017, of course i'd welcome an early increase but TBH i doubt will really get one as it says it's a national average.

[finleysmaid]

as usual this statement tells us nothing we didn't already know. I hardly think 2000 providers is the most comprehensive review of childcare EVER!

Unfortunately an across the board funding rate would (I suspect) cause us a huge issue as the costs in London/outer London are much higher than in other areas of the country...I can see them insisting we have a higher level member of staff in charge so that we can run at 1-13 this IMO will not benefit our families and the children in our care.

[thumperrabbit]

...I can see them insisting we have a higher level member of staff in charge so that we can run at 1-13 this IMO will not benefit our families and the children in our care.

 

 

 

​Can't seem to 'Quote' properly this morning!

 

Unless the Government are willing to fund the EYP course (or whatever it's called these days?!) I can't see many people being able to afford to train-up?!

[AliceinWonderland]

 

 

Unless the Government are willing to fund the EYP course (or whatever it's called these days?!) I can't see many people being able to afford to train-up?!

 

I don't think I would want to train up to Teacher level, I've worked in childcare for far too many years to start changing now and there's no way I could afford a teachers wage on what they pay now. So think it will end up with having the minimum staff needed as level 3 with all the others level 2 who are apprentices and keep terminating their contracts after 1 year. Can't believe they have the cheek to say that providers are not running efficiently, I think they only look at school nurseries who are short hours, term time only and only have pre school aged children. They don't have to worry about staff holidays and training days as they have insets etc, just wish they would listen properly!

[Rafa]

 

...I can see them insisting we have a higher level member of staff in charge so that we can run at 1-13 this IMO will not benefit our families and the children in our care.]

 

" Well it just flies in the face of everything that was supposed to be about the EYFS! Unique Child - Positive Relationships? Don't make me laugh - with that ratio???! - We're talking about having 2 year olds and Sen children in this mix! " - Rafa

 

 

 

[unless the Government are willing to fund the EYP course (or whatever it's called these days?!) I can't see many people being able to afford to train-up?!]

 

Will someone pleeeasse make it clear ro Mr Gyimah - that anyone willing to train for EYP/EYT is NOT going to be willing to work term time only on a mizzley wage!! Only providers do that - and I for one are far to old to consider that! They will probably change the goalposts again before the end of the training - EYP was supposed to be THE answer now its EYT. Cannot believe how shortsighted the Goverment are being on this. Edited May 18, 2016 by Rafa

[lsp]

They only have to look at how many people did the training, at the government's expense, and then moved into schools to earn higher wages and enhanced conditions. Maybe that was their master plan!!!!

[Rafa]

They only have to look at how many people did the training, at the government's expense, and then moved into schools to earn higher wages and enhanced conditions. Maybe that was their master plan!!!!

Sadly I think you are right Isp!

[Guest]

With reference to EYT. I have completed such training a year ago and now faced that no one (schools) want a reception teacher with EYT status. They need QTS. Now I decided to secure my future and signed myself to secondary Maths teacher. Looking at the Teacher's standards (standards you need to meet in order to achieve QTS) and comparing them with EYT's standards I need to admit that EYT's are more difficult to meet than Primary or Secondary. We need to know the continuum of learning and development up to Key Stage 1 and 2 while Primary or Secondary trainees do not have to demonstrate their knowledge of Early Years. Safeguarding and Leadership and Management are also more in depth in Early Years. So! So why we are paid so little at the end? Where is insensitive to do EYT?