新澳门六合彩官网开奖 report highlights impact of staffing crisis
By Rachel Lawler
新澳门六合彩官网开奖鈥檚 latest annual report argues that staffing shortages in the education sector have 鈥渃ompounded the problem鈥 of children鈥檚 delayed development during the pandemic. It also says that the lack of staff 鈥渟lowed the pace of intervention鈥 where children needed extra help.
Youngest children
The report, which covers the 2021/22 academic year, also notes that the 鈥測oungest children鈥 were most impacted by the pandemic, with children taking longer to settle at settings and arriving at school with 鈥渁 wider range of starting points than normal鈥.
The report also notes a 鈥渘umber of pressures鈥 on the early years sector as childminder numbers continue to fall and group settings struggle to recruit quality staff. It says: 鈥淢ore nurseries lack enough qualified and experienced staff and become over-reliant on apprentices to fill gaps. That has a knock-on impact on the quality of their early education as well as their safeguarding expertise.鈥
The report argues: "This generation of young people has lacked stability in recent years. We owe them as much security and certainty as we can provide for what remains of their childhood. And we must offer those children, and older students too, the education, training and opportunities they need to secure their future."
Acute recruitment challenge
Commenting, Neil Leitch, CEO of the Alliance, said: 鈥溞掳拿帕喜使偻 is absolutely right to highlight the acute recruitment challenge the early years sector is facing, and the significant detrimental impact this is likely to have on children鈥檚 learning and development.
鈥淣ow more than ever, it is vital that early educators are able to focus on supporting each individual child鈥檚 early learning and mitigating the ongoing effects of the pandemic. Instead, they are forced to spend more and more energy firefighting relentless staffing challenges, with many providers battling just to ensure that they have enough staff on a day-to-day basis to keep their doors open.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 more, as the report highlights, every time an early educator leaves the sector, they take with them a wealth of experience and knowledge, and this is something we simply cannot afford to lose 鈥 though when you consider the long hours, ever-increasing workloads, low salaries and even lower recognition, it鈥檚 not difficult to see why those who leave choose to do so.
鈥淯ltimately, if we are to ensure that every child gets the best possible start in life, we need a stable, experienced and committed workforce 鈥 but this will only be possible through fair pay, supported by adequate funding, and a complete change in the way we view, and value our sector. The early years has the potential to be one of the best and more fulfilling career paths, but if the government does not act urgently, we will continue to lose talented professionals 鈥 and ultimately it will be the children we care for and educate that will pay the price."