To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish the
main findings of Sir David Bell's review of early years
provision, commissioned by the Labour Party in October 2023.
The Minister of State, Department for Education ( of Malvern) (Lab)
The early years sector is facing shortages of places and workers,
and it will be challenging to deliver the entitlements promised
by the previous Government. Sir David Bell's review, undertaken
for the Labour Party prior to the election, considered how to
ensure all children have access to high-quality early years
education. The Government are considering how to reform the
sector and will set out further information next year. Sir
David's findings will inform that work.
(Con)
My Lords, when in opposition, the Secretary of State for
Education repeatedly said that childcare was her No. 1 priority,
but she also said that she was unable to set out her plan until
Sir had completed his review. Given
that the Government have now committed to roll out the previous
Government's childcare plan to increase entitlements, can the
Minister confirm whether or not Sir David recommended continuing
with the Conservative Government's plan, and did he agree to the
levels of fees we had published? If so, it is really puzzling
that the Government will not publish his recommendations; if not,
I think there is a greater reason to know what they are.
of Malvern (Lab)
Importantly, having made it clear that we want to deliver the
entitlements set out by the previous Government, this Government
have started the hard work to put in place the action necessary
to do that. It will not be easy; I am afraid that we inherited a
pledge without a plan to deliver it. Having ensured that 320,000
children have been able to take up this year's additional
entitlement, the Government's focus is to make sure we have the
places and workforce to enable the growth of that entitlement,
which we will try to deliver in September 2025. However, it will
be a difficult task, made more difficult by the planning failure
of the previous Government.
(LD)
Sir David is clearly a man of integrity, great educational
experience and knowledge. We understand that because the report
was leaked, he decided that he was not going to continue and
publish it. However, I hope that some of the key elements of that
report—not least introducing a new qualified teacher route—will
be included in legislation that comes before us. In fact, after
Questions, we will be considering the Minister's Statement on
early years. Can the Minister confirm that the proposal to
increase the early years pupil premium, whether it came from Sir
David or not —it has not yet been published—will be considered at
some point?
of Malvern (Lab)
While we are ambitious for early years and childcare, we will
need to consider the outcome of the spending review in thinking
about where we can focus our resources. We intend to produce an
early years strategy early next year, which will certainly build
not only on what we have learnt in government and our work
engaging with stakeholders and the dedicated staff in early years
and childcare, but on Sir David's recommendations.
(Con)
Does the Minister agree that to deliver the programme, we will
need another 35,000 people working in childcare by this time next
year and 6,000 by the end of this year? How confident is she that
she will find the necessary people?
of Malvern (Lab)
The noble Lord is right about the challenge for the workforce.
That is why, last week, as he says, we published further
information about the 75,000 additional staff that will be
necessary. It will be a challenge, but we have already begun
work, focusing on the Government's childcare recruitment
campaign, “Do Something Big”. We have also introduced a T-level
in early years and childcare, and through Skills England we will
be identifying the gaps and ensuring that the support is there
for employers to develop staff in this area. But it will be a
very big challenge to make sure that the places and people are
there to deliver the entitlement by next September.
(CB)
My Lords, many young mothers are not very good at looking after
their very young children. What are the Government doing to help
mothers and children bond and learn to look after each other?
of Malvern (Lab)
In my case, I could say that slightly older mothers were probably
not particularly good at looking after their young children
either.
The noble and learned Baroness makes a very important point about
the support we provide for mothers, obviously through midwives
and antenatal care, which I know my colleague in the Department
of Health and Social Care will be very concerned about, and we
will hear her views. In ensuring we have early family support,
particularly for the most vulnerable families, we will also help
to overcome that problem.
The Lord
My Lords, in his review, Sir looked at the attainment gap
between children from less privileged and more privileged
backgrounds. Can the Government commit to ensuring that the
ministerial taskforce on child poverty will look at the impact of
the current benefits system on children from lower-income
families?
of Malvern (Lab)
The right reverend Prelate is absolutely right to identify that
disadvantage —in fact, special educational needs impact on
children at a very early stage in their development. My right
honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education, alongside
the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, is absolutely
committed, through the work of the child poverty taskforce, to
looking at precisely how we break that link between poverty in
childhood and the ability to make the most of your life later on.
That will include elements of the benefits system as well.
of Hudnall (Lab)
Taking my noble friend back to the question on recruitment, will
she consider that a number of the people who will be needed in
the workforce are currently in full-time education? Quite a lot
are at school, and many are studying BTECs—for example, in health
and social care—which can then lead them into careers in
childcare. Can she say whether the Government intend to go on
supporting the BTECs that will take these young people towards
the childcare sector? What else are the Government doing to
encourage young people currently in education to see it as a good
career path for them?
of Malvern (Lab)
We are carrying out a short qualifications reform review
precisely to identify the qualifications where there are
particular needs for learners or for the economy—in this case,
childcare. Unlike the previous Government, we are saying that
where we can see for both those reasons that there is a
particular need for qualifications, we will continue to fund them
in the system. As I identified earlier, we are also supporting
the development of a T-level, which will provide a very good and
rigorous route for young people into the childcare sector. Also,
through the “Do Something Big” campaign we are encouraging more
people to consider a career in early years and childcare, which
can have such an enormous impact on children's lives.
(CB)
My Lords—
(Con)
My Lords, what is so encouraging is the way fathers are now
involved in looking after children, and it is very important—
(Lab Co-op)
My Lords, we will turn to the Cross Benches next, and then we
will hear from the noble Lord.
(CB)
My Lords, we have just come to the end of a report on
ultra-processed and HFSS foods. When it comes to early years
nutrition, it is quite a Wild West out there. For a start, we
have the lowest rate of breastfeeding in Europe and the OECD,
because there is very little support. When you get on to infant
feeding formula, a lot is marketed at babies who are younger than
six months and there is extreme confusion about the way that
milks can be advertised.
Noble Lords
Question!
(CB)
My question is: will the Government take heed of our report and
look at the way products are marketed to mothers when they are
young, vulnerable and not very well off?
of Malvern (Lab)
I am sure that my colleagues in the Department of Health and
Social Care will look closely at that, given their concern to
ensure that babies and children have the healthiest start in
life.
(Con)
My Lords, I was saying that it is quite inspirational how
fathers, particularly young fathers, are now much more involved
in bringing up young children. We should recognise that sharing
of responsibilities in many families. What do the Government say
about that? What more can be done to encourage fathers to get
more involved in bringing up their young children?
of Malvern (Lab)
The noble Lord makes a very important point. I know from personal
experience that, where fathers can give that care, it has an
enormously important impact on children and their development.
Obviously, over recent years we are more able, through parental
leave provisions, to share that leave at the early stages of
children's lives. I assure the noble Lord that, across
government, we will continue to think about ways we can support
parents, including fathers, in doing that very important role.
