A Department for Education spokesperson said:
“We have invested £20 million in improving the training and
development available for staff working in early years settings,
particularly targeted at those working in disadvantaged areas,
and we are supporting their career progression through better
qualifications, more apprenticeship opportunities and routes to
graduate level qualifications.
“Nurseries, preschools and childminders are a vital support
network for families, and will play an integral role in this
country’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. That’s why they
have received significant financial support over the past months
and will benefit from a planned £3.6 billion funding in 2020-21
to local authorities for free early education and childcare
places. We continue to provide extra stability and reassurance to
nurseries and childminders that remain open by ‘block-buying’
childcare places for the rest of this year at the level we would
have funded before coronavirus – regardless of how many children
are attending.”
Further information
- Pay and conditions in private, voluntary and independent
settings are set by the employers.
- The Government continues to support families with their
childcare costs and last October we announced increases in hourly
rates for our early education entitlements for 2020-21.
