CYP Now - Early years funding significantly less than expected, sector fears

Early years leaders fear the sector will receive significantly less funding over three years than was pledged at last year’s Spending Review.

Early years leaders have expressed concerns over a DfE funding clarifcation. Picture: Adobe Stock

Last October children and families minister Will Quince said the government would be “investing additional funding” for the early years sector of £160m in 2022/23, £180m in 2023/24 and £170m in 2024/25.

The Early Years Alliance (EYA) says that Quince also verbally agreed to this extra funding at a meeting he held with the minister.

But the EYA fears the sector will now miss out as the Department for Education has said this week that the funding will be based on a baseline of the current financial year 2021/22 and will not be cumulative.

This means the increase in 2023/24 would only be £20m, while in 2024/25 funding will drop by £10m compared with the previous year, according to the EYA.

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