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A cross-party group of MPs has launched an inquiry into early years funding in response to increasing numbers of nursery closures and provider concerns about their financial future.
The all-party parliamentary group for childcare and early education has launched the inquiry after early years providers raised concerns with MPs regarding funding at a lobbying event in July.
Two sessions of the inquiry will take place this month, the first on 14 November with evidence from parents and providers about their experiences of accessing and delivering childcare.
The second will involve early years experts including the Pre-school Learning Alliance(PSLA), the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) and research agency Ceeda.
The launch of the inquiry follows the publication this week of an open letter from PSLA chief executive Neil Leitch to children's minister Nadhim Zahawi, over the failure of the recent budget to address early years funding.
"At a time when so many pre-schools, nurseries and childminders have voiced serious concerns about their long-term viability, this was a missed opportunity to safeguard the future of those providing such a vital service to childcare and families across the country," states the letter.
The letter calls for an uplift in rates for funded places, citing a PSLA survey from the summer of 1,600 providers which found that eight out of 10 believe that a failure to increase rates will have a negative impact on their financial position.
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