Workforce challenges remain across the early education and childcare sector
Workforce challenges remain across the early education and childcare sector
New research from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) highlights the scale of the workforce challenge facing early education and childcare in England.
The first report in a five part series finds that early years staff are paid significantly less than other workers in similar roles. It also warns that government’s ambitions for an expansion of early education and childcare could be at risk unless there is a significant acceleration in the growth of staff numbers.
Responding to the report, Sarah Ronan, Executive Director of the Early Education and Childcare Coalition, said:
“Early years educators deliver complex, skilled and emotionally demanding work that has a profound impact on children’s development, yet they are consistently paid far less than comparable workers, so it is no surprise that recruitment efforts are falling short.
If the government wants a stable early education and childcare system that families can rely on, it must invest properly in the workforce that makes it possible. That means funding rates that allow providers to pay staff fairly, reward higher qualifications and retain experienced professionals.”
The report comes as an Early Years Alliance survey of over 1,000 early years providers reveals many settings in England are struggling to deliver affordable, flexible early years places.
The survey shows that staffing is having a direct impact on the availability of early years places, with half (49%) of respondents saying that they have limited or stopped taking on new children over the past six months due to a lack of sufficient staff.
Low workforce morale was also highlighted, with 42% of respondents actively considering leaving. Of those, nearly 8 in 10 (78%) cited feeling undervalued by Government as a contributory factor.
Neil Leitch, Chief Executive of the Early Years Alliance, said:
‘’Despite their best efforts, many providers simply don’t have the staff or the finances to comfortably deliver the affordable, flexible service that families need, and as a result, many parents around the country are likely to see rising costs and potentially a reduction in place availability in the months and years ahead.
The Government says that it recognises the importance of early years education. If that’s the case, then it needs to give the sector the support it needs to ensure that all families can access quality, affordable care and early education, and that every child can get the best possible start in life.’’
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