Laws outlines Lib Dem pledges to boost childcare profession

In a speech given to the CentreForum think-tank today, Laws said that in the next parliament a Liberal Democrat government would ensure early years teachers can secure qualified teacher status (QTS), and aim to “significantly increase pay over time”.

He also pledged that by 2020, every early years setting should employ at least one person who holds a QTS award.

If elected, the party would target the measures on settings serving areas of high disadvantage first, Laws added.

“The early years profession has had too little attention from policymakers,” he said.
 
“The pay is very low and qualifications and status are lagging behind many other developed countries. This is despite the evidence that it is the early years that can have the biggest impact on later life chances.
 
“We should make as our top priority a revolution in the quality of early years education – particularly for disadvantaged children.”

In addition, Laws said that money from the Free Schools Budget should be spent on building new nurseries – some based in schools – in areas of “high basic need”.

The pledges build on the party’s announcements earlier in the year to expand free childcare for all two-year-olds and triple the early years pupil premium to £900 per child.

Laws also said that a Liberal Democrat government would extend the funding ringfence for schools to cover spending on early years and post-16 education.

“It cannot make sense to continue protecting schools and colleges only up to age 16, in an age when education is now until at least 18,” he added.
 
“Nor can we address the clear evidence on the importance of early intervention and early years quality if the real budget for early years is allowed to shrink.”

Recent section 251 figures from local authorities showed the amount of spending on early years and children's centres services has fallen by £400m over the last four years.

Laws also called for more effective support to be given to the 2,000 schools that currently require improvement.