The Education Committee launches a new inquiry into the childcare
sector and early years education, examining why it has become too
expensive for a growing proportion of young families.
MPs will investigate issues including the Government’s current
system of entitlements to subsidised childcare, which are partly
dependent on parents’ employment status and earnings, and the Tax
Free Childcare scheme, which has been called too confusing and
underutilised.
A poll of 20,000 working
parents last year found that 97% believe childcare is too
expensive, while this year’s Family and Childcare
Survey showed that the average price of full-time nursery
care for a child aged under two stands at over £270 a week.
The cross-party group of MPs is seeking evidence on problems
faced by the childcare sector itself, such as recruitment and
retention of qualified staff. A report by the Social
Mobility Commission found that early-years practitioners
experience comparatively low pay, high work demands and low
social status, which contribute to high staff turnover.
The Committee will also assess the value and quality of early
years education, and how effectively it prepares children for
starting school, given that the sector’s current regulatory
framework has been in place since
2008. Other topics of interest in the inquiry will be how
education is provided to young children with special educational
needs and disabilities (SEND), and whether changes to the
planning system could support the sector.
Education Committee Chair said:
“The childcare sector is intrinsically important because it has
the potential to allow millions of parents to continue with their
careers while giving young children a huge head start in their
pre-school education.
“It’s vital that we identify solutions to the range of problems
and challenges facing the childcare sector in England, understand
why the costs have become too dear for many families, and see
what the Government could do to raise the esteem, affordability
and quality of early years education.
“As many have pointed out, getting this right could be a huge
boost for the UK’s productivity and the welfare of its future
generations.
“It’s no wonder there is so much cross-party hunger to fix
childcare. That’s why this Committee is perfectly placed to look
for a way forward.”
Inquiry Terms of Reference
The Committee invites written submissions addressing any, or all,
of the following bullet points. Evidence should be submitted
here by 19 January 2023. Written evidence should be no more
than 3,000 words.
Childcare Entitlements
- How affordable and easy to understand is the current
provision of childcare in England and what steps, if any, could
be taken to improve it, especially in relation to families living
within the most deprived areas in England?
- Are the current entitlements providing parents/carers with
sufficient childcare, and to what extent are childcare costs
affecting parents/carers from returning to work full-time?
- Whether the current Tax-Free Childcare scheme, and support
for childcare from the benefits and tax credit system, is working
effectively or whether these subsidies could be better used
within other childcare subsidies
Early years provision
- What challenges do early years providers face in terms of
workforce, including recruiting, and retaining qualified staff,
and the barriers faced by individuals joining the profession? To
what extent has the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated workforce
challenges?
- Whether the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) system
is meeting the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs
(SEN), and the improvements that could be made to better support
young children with SEN within early years provisions
- To what extent does the early years system adequately prepare
young children for their transition into primary education,
particularly children from disadvantaged backgrounds
- The extent to which the reduction of Sure Start Children’s
Centres has affected children and families, particularly children
from disadvantaged backgrounds, and the role of Family Hubs
