Childcare in crisis

Private sector nurseries in England are in crisis, with childminders complaining that “they are doing the work of teachers on the minimum wage”.

There is some truth in this assertion, with nurseries having to deliver standards and being assessed by Ofsted. Many nurseries made a loss, with the average salary for a nursery owner being only £13,500. The position is even more dire for childminders working in the domestic sector, with average income for four or five days’ work being only £7,600 a year.

There are many factors considered to be contributing to this crisis, including red tape and the recession. Personally, in this area, I want all the regulation we can get, in order to promote high standards of care and learning, as the early years are so developmentally important. But the recession has led to demand for places being weak and volatile.

If we are to build a truly universal, high-quality childcare system, based in the private sector, and with the aim of freeing-up parents to become employed, then we really need to reconsider the tax and funding arrangements for nurseries. If we don’t, then families and their children will lose out, and the nursery sector will, itself, become a victim of the recession.

While I am on the subject of the private sector, just think about what would happen if schools were run on the same private sector basis, with localised wages, and a drive to reduce costs… personally, I’d rather not have either schools or nurseries in the private sector – especially if regulation is reduced.