Retention and return:
Delivering the expansion of early years entitlement in England
In the 2023 Spring Budget the Chancellor announced a significant expansion in government-funded childcare support with the aim of providing 30 hours of ‘free’ childcare to certain eligible parents by 2025. The announcement focused on the funding of this expansion, but little was said about the workforce who would deliver it.
New research by the Early Education and Childcare Coalition, the University of Leeds, and the Women’s Budget Group combines modelling focused on the additional demand likely to be generated by the expansion, with the working conditions and experiences of those currently employed in the sector and those who have recently left. This new report aims to better understand the conditions of the current early years workforce (those working in group settings and childminders), the implications of the extended entitlement, and what is needed to ensure any expansion of access can be successful while delivering the high-quality provision that children deserve.
The Snapshot
57% OF NURSERY STAFF AND 38% OF CHILDMINDERS ARE CONSIDERING LEAVING THE EARLY YEARS SECTOR IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS
A 6% GROWTH IN PLACES WOULD BE NEEDED TO MEET THE DEMAND CREATED BY THE GOVERNMENT EXPANSION OF CHILDCARE SUPPORT
JUST 17% OF NURSERY MANAGERS SAID THEY WOULD INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PLACES THEY OFFERED
35% OF MANAGERS SAID THEY WOULD LIMIT THE NUMBER OF PLACES THEY OFFERED UNLESS THERE WAS MORE GOVERNMENT SUPPORT TO RETAIN AND RECRUIT STAFF
AS MANY AS 50,000 NEW STAFF COULD BE NEEDED IN 2024 AND AGAIN IN 2025 TO MAINTAIN EXISTING PROVISION AND PROVIDE THE NEW ENTITLEMENT
70% OF NURSERY MANAGERS THINK ITS TIME FOR A NEW FUNDING MODEL