Local authorities raise concerns on future phases of early entitlement expansion
Local authorities have raised significant concerns on having enough early years places to meet demand, research from Coram Family and Childcare has shown.
Research from the charity found that while nearly two thirds (60%) of local authorities based in England are 鈥榗onfident鈥 or 鈥榲ery confident鈥 that there will be enough places to meet the first phase of the expansion in April 2024, this significantly drops for the later stages of the expansion鈥檚 roll-out.
Overall, a little over a quarter (27%) of local authorities said they are confident that they will be able to deliver enough places to meet September鈥檚 phase of the expansion 鈥 which will offer 15 hours to children aged nine months onwards. Just 12% said the same for the final phase of the roll out in September 2025 which will offer a total of 30 hours to children aged nine months and over.
The majority of local authorities (88%) citied the sector鈥檚 recruitment and retention challenges as a significant barrier to increasing early years places.
High-quality provision of places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) was also highlighted as a key concern. In total 64% of local authorities said 鈥榮ufficiency鈥 of places for children with SEND was a barrier to the roll-out. More than half (55%) highlighted 'funding' as a further obstacle.
Concerns were also raised on the impact the expansion will have on children from disadvantaged backgrounds. When asked about the three and four-year-old entitlements around a third (35%) of local authorities said they are anticipating fewer families to be able to take up the expanded hours for free, and 34% expect fewer places will be available for children with SEND.
In terms of the existing disadvantaged two-year-old entitlement, nearly half said they are expecting there to be fewer places available overall without any charges. A third (33%) are anticipating that fewer places will be available to children with SEND.
Commenting, Ellen Broome虂, Head of Coram Family and Childcare, said: "The coming months will be a crucial time in the sector as we prepare for the implementation of the government鈥檚 welcome extension of childcare support. These new entitlements have huge potential to support more parents 鈥 particularly mothers 鈥 to return to work and to boost outcomes for more children.
"Therefore, whilst it is encouraging that three-fifths of local authorities feel confident about the roll-out in April, we are concerned there may be issues for families further down the line in accessing the childcare they need, as well as ongoing challenges in the sector that could impact the successful delivery of this extended support in the coming year. These issues 鈥 including the challenges around recruitment and retention, and funding rates 鈥 need to be addressed urgently, and childcare providers fully supported to manage this extension, so that every child is able to access the high quality early years education they are entitled to, and all parents can make meaningful choices about work and care."
Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said: ""It will come as no surprise to anyone in the early years sector that local authorities aren't confident there will be enough places for the extended funded hours offer.
"Years of neglect have left the sector in tatters, with thousands of settings across the country being forced to close every year, while those that remain open struggle to recruit and retain the staff they need to meet demand.
"Rather than address these issues, the government instead decided to announce a rushed and ill-thought-out scheme that will only put more pressure on an already incredibly fragile sector.
"Unless the government takes urgent action and invests what's needed to make this plan workable, its flagship policy is likely to descend into chaos."