Education secretary Bridget Phillipson, accused the previous government of having “recklessly rushed out a childcare pledge without a plan to deliver it, leaving working people to pay the price.”
A new survey by the educational charity, the Early Years Alliance, reveals that more than three-quarters of early years centres have faced significant challenges in recruiting staff over the past year.
As the government prepares to expand childcare provision in September, which will allow eligible parents of children aged nine months to two years to access 15 hours of weekly childcare support, the charity is urging the new government to create a comprehensive workplace plan to address the ongoing recruitment crisis.
Nearly 80 percent of early childcare providers reported finding it very difficult or quite difficult to recruit qualified early years staff, according to the survey. The shortage of applicants, coupled with a lack of candidates possessing relevant early years qualifications, were cited as the primary reasons for the recruitment challenges. Additionally, many centres are unable to meet the salary expectations of potential employees, further exacerbating the issue.
As a result of staffing shortages, some centres have been forced to turn children away, while others have had to reduce or limit their operating hours.
The survey, which gained 889 responses, found that 82 percent of participants would be encouraged to remain in the sector if they felt more valued by the government. A similar percentage said that higher pay would motivate them to stay in their roles, while 53 percent said that improved benefits, such as sick pay, would also be an incentive.
Due to recruitment issues, many childcare settings are increasingly relying on bank and agency staff to fill gaps.
Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, described the situation as “incredibly concerning” but “not at all surprising.”
“As these findings show, staffing challenges have already pushed many providers to limit both places and hours offered. With less than a month before the next phase of the early entitlement expansion, it’s clear just how critical the need to address the sector’s staffing crisis is,” said Leitch.
The charity is calling on the Labour government to set out clear pay expectations for the early years sector, including suitable salary ranges for each role level. It also wants to see early entitlement funding set and maintained at an adequate level to allow early years settings to meet salary expectations.
Additionally, the Alliance wants ministers to ensure the early years’ sector is recognised and valued as an education profession, and that clear and consistent career pathways are available through funded training and CPD opportunities.
The Early Years Alliance also criticised the government’s ‘Do Something Big, Work With Small Children’ recruitment campaign, launched in February to promote careers in childcare, arguing that there has been insufficient awareness of the initiative.
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson, accused the previous government of having “recklessly rushed out a childcare pledge without a plan to deliver it, leaving working people to pay the price.”
She stated her determination to “make sure parents get what was promised to them this year, despite the major challenges that this government faces due to the recklessness and irresponsibility of the Tories.”
“This government will deliver a sea change in our early years system, building strong foundations for children to achieve and thrive at school, delivering better life chances and breaking down barriers to opportunity for all our young people,” Phillipson recently told the Observer.
Separately, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) is urging the government to make early years provision a priority to tackle child poverty. The anti-poverty charity argues that this would help families to work and give children “better life chances.”
“A really important part of that is that the system is affordable for families, it’s high quality and it’s available,” said Abby Jitendra from the JRF.
Stephen Morgan, the minister for early years provision, reiterated his commitment to tackling child poverty. Speaking to BBC South East on August 13, Morgan stated:
“Our commitment to breakfast clubs in every primary school across the country will make a huge difference to making sure children go to school fed and ready for school.
“Our commitment to 3,000 extra nursery provision across the primary schools is going to make a difference too.”
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