Research from the Education Policy Institute found that 40 per cent of the gap in attainment outcomes between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged children is evident by age five, meaning that early years provision plays a pivotal role in each child’s chance of reaching their potential.
Why then is the sector responsible for such a significant stage of our children’s lives being forced into instability by operating on perilously low funding, especially in areas where it is needed most?
Last year, the average rate paid by local authorities where YMCA settings operate was £4.45 an hour per child, while the actual cost of delivery stood at an average of £5.52. This means that for every hour of early years education YMCA offered on the government-funded scheme, an average loss of £1.07 was incurred. This loss was echoed nationally by the APPG for Childcare and Early Education which found a 20 per cent shortfall in funding across England compared with the cost of provision.
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