APPG Meeting Summary - 24.1.23

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APPG for Early Childcare and Early Education – Meeting on the 24.1.23

Meeting Brief:

The session will celebrate Childcare and Early Education Week 2023, the theme of which is ‘Fund Early Years, Fund their Future’. The discussion will look to celebrate the hard work of early years practitioners whilst also looking at sustainable funding options to ensure that all children can receive the best quality early years education.

This meeting will be chaired by Steve Brine MP and will hear from the following speakers:

 

·       Purnima Tanuku OBE, Chief Executive of the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA)

·        Julie Hyde, Director of External and Regulatory Affairs at NCFE

·        Catherine McLeod MBE, Chief Executive of Dingley's Promise

·        Cheryl Hadland, Founder and Managing Director of Tops Day Nurseries, Aspire Training Team and Hadland Care Group

 

Steve Brine:

Began by introducing the Childcare and Early Education week. He talked about the good coverage the week has had in Nursery World and some early involvement from councils.

He then said a few words about the sector and current issues:

“Early years clearly is a vital parts of a child’s education”

“the UK has the second lowest investment from government but the highest parental support […] it can’t continue to run on nothing”

He then introduced our speakers.

 

Purnima Tanuku OBE:

Started by introducing the NDNA’s  newest campaign about raising the awareness of the importance of Early years – they have over 80,000 supporters as of writing. She then showed a short campaign video featuring a number of early years professionals speaking candidly about what they do and why they do it.

You can watch that video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg2qAQ7mMMI

And you can read more about the NDNA’s campaign, and get involved here: https://ndna.org.uk/firstfiveyearscount/

Purnima’s other points included:

• The vast majority of childcare, employed child care educators, and children are in the PVI sector.
• The funding compared to schools is very minimal.
• There needs to be a full independent review of the entire sector.

 

Julie Hyde:

Started by explaining how the NCFE supports the education and qualification of practitioners. You can visit there website here: https://www.ncfe.org.uk/

Julie explained there’s been an increase over the last three years of practitioners gaining qualifications in this sector, despite the obvious recruitment and retention issue. She concluded it’s not a lack of people qualifying, it’s retaining those qualified people that is the real issue.

Julie’s other points included:

• “We need to keep ensuring we are banging the drum for this fantastic sector”
• Explained how retention is key for a sustainable workforce. Part is funding related, and part is views on aspirations. Making sure EY professionals are recognised for their hard work is paramount in tackline retention
• A revised workforce strategy is really key. The sector needs to be engaged with in order to do this.

 

Catherine McLeod MBE:

Started by exemplifying these issues have a more concentrated effect on children with SEND.

“When there is an issue with sufficiency, its often the children with SEND that get turned away first”

Settings can’t support SEND children as well anymore because of resource issues. Even settings who have done this very well in the past now can’t accept SEND children because of funding, staffing etc.

Reflecting on Julie’s previous point: Lots of people have a passion for working in the EY, but they simply can’t because the pay does not support them or their families.

 

Cheryl Hadland:

Started with exemplifying the staff turnover issue. Cheryl explained personal experience about not being able to open new nursery because she can’t find the staff.

Cheryl’s other points included:

• The pay scales do not compete with many other sectors, not just in education
• Business rates are making it more and more difficult for nursery owners to pay staff more
• “our funding is woefully inadequate” The funding calculation was too low to begin with and hasn’t increased with inflation/wage increases enough
• “We are on our knees […] please can we have some help”
• “double funding, stop the business rates”
• The rate per child going up is the Key
• People are leaving because of increased stress and demands for staff
• Striking often isn’t an option because the nursery’s will just go bust and have to close their doors

 

Q&A:

Participant: Explained the very real concern that parents will soon not be able to find child care which will take millions of men and women away from the workplace.  

 

Participant: The government is putting more money in, but more and more settings are closing. Why do we finish EY at 5, it should be 7. In other countries it’s 7 and its free. Until government agree Early Years are the most important years there will be no sector left.

 

Participant: the change from Early Education to “free child care” was the beginning of the end.

 

 

You can watch the full and recorded meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWZbauJOgNw

If you ever want to join an APPG meeting, please email childcareandearlyeducationappg@connectpa.co.uk