Support for childcare and the early years

Education Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 15 Dec 2022 Closed: 23 Nov 2023 Parliament page
The Education Committee has launched an inquiry into support for childcare and the early years. The inquiry will examine how easy to navigate the current childcare system is for parents and carers, and whether current childcare entitlements are providing families with affordable and flexible childcare. The Committee will assess the … Read more
24 Recommendations
8 Conclusions
1 Report
5 Oral sessions
1 Letter
5 Events
Activity timeline 13 events
25 Oct
2023
Correspondence
17 Oct
2023
Report published
26 Jul
2023
Report published
9 May
2023
Oral evidence
9 May
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
18 Apr
2023
Oral evidence
18 Apr
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
21 Mar
2023
Oral evidence
21 Mar
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
21 Feb
2023
Oral evidence
21 Feb
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
31 Jan
2023
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
9 May 2023
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Support for childcare and the early years
Claire Coutinho · Department for Education Susie Owen · Department for Education
18 Apr 2023
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Support for childcare and the early years
Adam Hawksbee · Onward Christine Farquharson · Institute for Fiscal Studies Dr Tammy Campbell · Education Policy Institute Iain Mansfield · Policy Exchange Professor Birgitta Rabe · Institute for Social and Economic Success Professor Eva Lloyd · International Centre for the Study of the Mixed Economy of Childcare, University of East London
21 Mar 2023
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Support for childcare and the early years
Jane Harris · Speech and Language UK Joeli Brearley · Pregnant Then Screwed Jolanta Lasota · Ambitious about Autism Mary Mulvey-Oates · Contact Mrs Anne Fennell · Mothers at Home Matter Victoria Benson · Gingerbread
21 Feb 2023
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Support for childcare and the early years
Dr Julian Grenier CBE · Sheringham Nursery School and Children's Centre, East London Emma Gardner · Early Years and Childcare, Spring by Action for Children Gemma Rolstone · Puffins Childcare, Devon Kara Jewell · Sparkle Lodge Early Years, Portsmouth Professor Celia Greenway · University of Birmingham
31 Jan 2023
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Support for childcare and the early years
Helen Donohoe · PACEY (Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years) Laura Barbour · The Sutton Trust Megan Jarvie · Coram Family and Childcare Neil Leitch OBE · Early Years Alliance
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifth Report - Support for childcare and the early years HC 969 26 Jul 2023 32 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
13 results
Clear
2 Recommendation Accepted
Fifth Report - Support for childca…
Commit government departments to effective cross-departmental working for childcare reforms
The childcare and early years education system is already spread across multiple departments and local authorities. Government must commit to effective cross- government working, both centrally and locally. This will be vital to ensure that these reforms are delivered effectively … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees on the importance of cross-government working and provides examples of current collaborative efforts across departments like DfE, HMRC, DWP, and DHSC, and with local authorities, to deliver childcare reforms and support families.
Department for Education
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3 Conclusion Accepted
Fifth Report - Support for childca…
Childcare market struggles with insufficient funding, needing financial and regulatory reform
The childcare market is struggling, with unprecedented numbers of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) professionals leaving the sector and parents struggling to find appropriate care across the country. The Spring Budget expansions of the funded entitlements place further demand … Read more
Government Response
DfE recognises the importance of sufficient funding rates and current pressures, detailing additional funding provided through the Early Years Supplementary Grant and further uplifts for 2024-25, totalling £288 million. Funding rates for 2024-25 will be confirmed in the autumn.
Department for Education
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4 Recommendation Accepted
Fifth Report - Support for childca…
Collaborate closely with providers and local authorities to set sufficient childcare funding rates
The Department for Education should work closely and consistently with childcare providers and local authorities from across the country to set the funding rate at a sufficient level. Given that most childcare places will soon be government-funded, it is vital … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of sufficient funding rates and details specific actions taken, including providing additional funding of £288 million for 2024-25 and confirming rates in the autumn, to ensure the sustainability of the childcare sector.
Department for Education
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6 Recommendation Accepted
Fifth Report - Support for childca…
Work with local authorities to identify and increase childcare provision in underserved areas
We recommend Government work closely with local authorities to identify areas where childcare provision is insufficient and with a view to increasing provision in these areas. It could be useful to begin with a focus on Education Investment Areas (EIAs). Read more
Government Response
DfE agrees with the recommendation and is actively working with local authorities through regular contact, a new termly readiness self-assessment tool, and £12 million in delivery support funding to identify and address childcare sufficiency issues, including in Education Investment Areas.
Department for Education
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7 Recommendation Accepted
Fifth Report - Support for childca…
Include childcare and early education as an infrastructure category in the Levelling Up Bill
We recommend the Government consider explicitly including childcare and early education as a category in the list of infrastructure set out in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill 2022–23. This would enable funding received through the levy to be allocated … Read more
Government Response
The government states that the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill already enables the Infrastructure Levy to be spent on childcare and early education. DfE has also updated guidance for local authorities, reinforcing the importance of securing developer contributions for early years and childcare facilities.
Department for Education
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8 Recommendation Accepted
Fifth Report - Support for childca…
Exempt early years providers from business rates and VAT; DfE must not reduce funding
The Government will soon be funding up to 80% of all childcare places in England, up from 50% before the Spring Budget. In recognition of this, and the public benefit that the whole early years sector is providing, the HM … Read more
Government Response
The government does not accept the recommendation for new business rate exemptions or VAT zero-rating. Instead, it highlights existing measures like the business rates multiplier freeze, small business rate relief, and charitable rate relief that already provide support to early years providers.
Department for Education
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10 Recommendation Accepted
Fifth Report - Support for childca…
Improve awareness of childcare support and reduce complexity for parents
Parental choice should be at the heart of any Early Years Care and Education policy to allow parents to choose what works best for their family. We welcome the Government’s acknowledgement that parents who need or want to work require … Read more
Government Response
The government, to improve awareness, has committed an additional £1.2 million to the ongoing Childcare Choices marketing campaign, aiming to drive engagement with the website that brings together information on various support schemes.
Department for Education
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15 Conclusion Accepted
Fifth Report - Support for childca…
Better support for stay-at-home parents crucial for family choice and child development
Parents who choose to care for their children at home do important work. With better support, parents would have more of a choice over whether they work or stay at home and have better flexibility to respond to their family’s … Read more
Government Response
The government recognises the importance of supporting families and is investing £300 million to establish 75 local family hubs, including £50 million for parenting support, to provide coordinated local support and advice for parents.
Department for Education
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19 Conclusion Accepted
Fifth Report - Support for childca…
Prioritising childcare quantity over quality risks child development and widens disadvantage.
Where children are in Early Childhood Care and Education, it should be a high- quality, safe and supportive environment. ECEC should primarily be for the benefit of children. Prioritising the ‘quantity’ of available childcare to get parents back to work … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of high-quality, safe early childhood care, stating that its reforms are underpinned by this principle and highlighting existing measures like the EYFS framework, its 2021 reforms, and investment in workforce quality.
Department for Education
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22 Recommendation Accepted
Fifth Report - Support for childca…
Review Level 2 English and maths requirements for ECEC staff, prioritising numeracy quality.
In the short term, to prevent the existing qualification levels of falling any further, the Level 2 English and maths requirements for ECEC staff to count in staff:child ratios should be reviewed , and alternatives considered that are more tailored … Read more
Government Response
The government has launched a consultation to remove the Level 2 English and maths requirement for early years practitioners and is analysing responses, while also expanding the Early Years Professional Development Programme with a new maths module to prioritise numeracy teaching tailored to the sector.
Department for Education
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28 Conclusion Accepted
Fifth Report - Support for childca…
Government demonstrates renewed focus on early years SEND training and cross-departmental working.
It is widely recognised that effective early intervention and support is vital for improving outcomes for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We are glad to see the Government’s renewed focus on early years training for SEND through … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the vital role of early SEND identification and intervention, confirming that the newly revised Level 3 early years educator qualification criteria from September 2024 and existing Level 2 Practitioner criteria include dedicated sections on SEND identification and practice.
Department for Education
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29 Conclusion Accepted
Fifth Report - Support for childca…
Equipping ECEC practitioners with SEND identification skills reduces EHC plan applications and waiting times.
Equipping all ECEC practitioners with the skills to identify and support Special Educational Needs (SEN) would help settings better identify and support children with lower level SEND in-house and reduce the number of applications for diagnosis or additional support through … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of equipping early years practitioners with SEND identification and support skills, affirming that updated Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification criteria from September 2024 and existing Level 2 Practitioner criteria include dedicated sections on SEND.
Department for Education
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30 Recommendation Accepted
Fifth Report - Support for childca…
Introduce mandatory SEND training for all ECEC practitioners within the EYFS Statutory Framework.
It is clearly inadequate for only staff with Level 3 qualifications in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) to be trained in identifying and supporting Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. There are many other staff involved in a child’s care … Read more
Government Response
The government states that updated Level 3 and existing Level 2 qualification criteria and Teacher Standards already include specific modules on SEND identification and practice for early years educators and practitioners. They have no further plans to update Level 2 criteria.
Department for Education
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Government Response AI assessment · 32 of 24 classified
Accepted 13
Accepted in Part 8
Acknowledged 4
Deferred 2
Rejected 5
Total 24 recs + 8 conclusions
Correspondence 1 letter
25 Oct 2023 Correspondence to the Treasury following responses to funding recommendations made in the Government Response to the Childcare and Early Years report
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