Tulip Siddiq responds to survey showing childcare sector's heavy reliance on the furlough scheme

Tulip Siddiq MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Children and Early Years, responding to a survey by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) and National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) showing the heavy reliance of the childcare sector on the furlough scheme, said:

“This report highlights the appalling toll that the coronavirus crisis has taken on the childcare sector, which is now on the brink of collapse.

“We are already starting to see early years staff being made redundant, and the jobs of thousands more workers - mainly women - are at risk without targeted support for the childcare sector.

“Childminders, nursery staff, and the families who rely on their fantastic services must not be forced to pay the price for this Government’s incompetence.”

Ends

Notes to editors

• New research published today (Friday 25th September) by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) and National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) finds a significant proportion of early years settings are relying on the government’s furlough scheme, sparking concerns that the childcare staffing crisis is set to worsen when the scheme ends. It shows that: