The Education Committee has launched an inquiry into support for
childcare and the early years. The inquiry will examine how easy
to navigate the current childcare system is for parents and
carers, and whether current childcare entitlements are providing
families with affordable and flexible childcare. The Committee
will assess the effectiveness of the different funding
entitlements, including those funded by the Department for
Education, the Tax-Free Childcare scheme and support for
childcare from the benefits and tax credit system.
Additionally, it will examine how support for childcare impacts
upon parents/carers returning to work.
The inquiry will also explore early years provisions and examine
how it prepares young children for their transition into primary
education.
It will also look at the current workforce issues faced by early
years practitioners, and the extent to which the Covid-19
pandemic may have worsened existing workforce challenges.
The Committee’s new inquiry will also look at the Government’s
consultation on changing childcare ratios in early years
settings, which proposed changing the current staff-to-child
ratios from 1:4 to 1:5 for 2-year-olds.
Witnesses: Claire Coutinho, Parliamentary
Under Secretary of State (Minister for Children, Families, and
Wellbeing) Department for Education, and Susie Owen, Director of
Early Years, Childcare, Families and Analysis, Department for
Education
