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The publication, on 7th September, of a parliamentary report entitled Early Years: Progress in Developing High Quality Childcare and Early Education Accessible to All makes interesting reading to all involved in the Foundation Stage of education.
The report analyses the impact of the Labour Government's huge increase in spending on Early Years education, from the perspective of childcare providers, parents and children. As interesting as the main report are the transcripts of questions and answers between the reporting committee and various experts and professionals.
The need to enhance the status of childcare professionals through provision of training opportunities; the problem of low pay and consequent high turnover of staff, and the need to encourage the provision of a variety of childcare options, rather than just the basic 2.5 hour free place, are all discussed.
Changes to the approach to inspections by Ofsted are recommended, and concern over unregistered childminders, were also discussed.
The full report can be downloaded from the Public Accounts Committee Reports page
In a Professional Association of Nursery Nurses (PANN) press release welcoming the report's publication, Alison Johnson highlighted the problem of low pay for nursery practioners:
“We would also like the Government to subsidise nurseries so that they could pay their staff more and ensure more mentoring and career progression.
“With such low wages in childcare, it’s not surprising that there is such a high turnover of staff, as the Report highlights.”