Alliance responds to latest Coram childcare cost surveyÂ
Commenting, Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said:
"What will it take for the government to admit that the childcare and early education system in this country is broken? We now have a situation where costs for parents are rising, the availability of places is falling sharply and we are losing qualified professionals from the sector at an alarming rate – and yet, ministers continue to insist that all is fine.
"The fact is that the government has knowingly underfunded the early years sector – and specifically, the so-called ‘free childcare’ schemes – for years now, and the findings of the latest Coram childcare survey are a direct consequence of these policy decisions. With funding levels increasing at nowhere near the rate of delivery costs, is it any wonder that so many nurseries, pre-schools and childminders have had no choice but to increase fees and charges and, in some cases, restrict funded places?
"We know that many young children are still dealing with the effects of the pandemic on their early learning and development and so it has never been more important to ensure that all children – and particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds – are given access to quality care and education.
"The government needs to stop sticking its head in the sand and start investing in our vital sector, before the damage done becomes irreversible."