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By Rachel Lawler

The Prime Minister failed to mention the early years sector in his speech outlining his priorities for 2023, aside from a passing reference to family hubs.

Setting out his five “people’s priorities” for the year, Sunak said that he planned to: “half inflation, grow the economy, reduce debt, cut waiting lists and stop the boats”.

Family hubs
The Prime Minister also made a passing reference to family hubs, saying: “We need to support parents to manage the demands of modern workplaces without weaking the irreplaceable bonds of family life. And we’re going to roll out family hubs to offer parents the support they need.”

However, he did not make any reference to the rest of the early years sector or the funding and staffing concerns that many providers are reporting.

Sunak also announced new plans to make it compulsory to study maths until age 18 in the UK, although the policy is not due to come into effect until after the next election, currently due in 2024.

Question on early years
In response to a journalist's question about childcare, the Prime Minister said: "The government and I are completely committed to ensure good affordability, availability and flexibility of childcare. That’s what we’re always looking to deliver and improve on the offers that we have. There’s a consultation out at the moment and we’re in the process of considering some reforms and it wouldn’t be right  for me to comment on that now but the fact that I’ve talked about families hopefully gives you and everyone some confidence that I support families in all their forms."

Most critical period
Commenting, Neil Leitch, CEO of the Alliance, said: “How can it be that at a time when thousands of early years providers are closing every year, staff are leaving the sector in droves and parents are facing crippling costs, the Prime Minister gives a key speech about priorities for the upcoming year and doesn’t even mention the early years beyond a passing reference to family hubs?

"If encouraging more people back into work is a key government aim for the years ahead, perhaps tackling our broken early years system and ensuring that mothers aren't priced out of the workforce as a result of spiralling early years costs might be a good place to start. And if a quality education is so important, why not invest adequately in the sector that supports children's learning during their most critical period of development?

“While we of course recognise that the government has a number of pressing priorities at the moment, a functioning childcare and early education system is just as much a part of our social infrastructure as the railways and the NHS. The idea that ministers intend to simply ignore the growing crisis and hope it goes away on its own is simply inconceivable. 

“Our sector is at breaking point, and no amount of regurgitating the same old tired and misleading lines about ‘record investment’ into the early years is going to change that. The government simply must tackle this problem head on: we cannot build a better future for our children and grandchildren without investing what is needed to deliver quality, affordable and accessible care and education to the families that need it.”