, Labour’s Shadow Minister
for Children and Early Years, responding to
analysis by the Sutton Trust
showing that many nurseries in disadvantaged areas face closure
due to Covid-19, said:
“Thousands of childcare providers are forced to close every
year as a result of government underfunding. It is nurseries in
the most disadvantaged areas which have been most likely to
disappear, and we now have confirmation that this crisis has hit
them the hardest.
“The impact of mass nursery closures on working families
and the life chances of disadvantaged children is too awful to
contemplate. Urgent support is needed to help early years
providers cope with reduced demand and extra safety costs, yet
the sector has consistently been ignored.
“The Government needs to wake up to the reality that many
thousands of essential childcare places could be lost unless it
steps in with a properly funded plan to save the early years
sector.”
Ends
Notes to editors
-
On Wednesday evening, the Sutton Trust
will publish its latest coronavirus impact brief looking at the
immediate effects of the crisis on the early years sector. The
research will show that:
-
-
Many nurseries – particularly those in disadvantaged
areas - are facing permanent closures due to financial
difficulties exacerbated by the crisis.
-
Parents are worried about the impact of lockdown on
young children’s social and emotional development.
The Trust is calling for government to introduce a package
of financial assistance – worth £88m – for the early years
sector, in line with the support announced for schools in
June.
