Speaking at a fringe meeting organised by The Childcare Coalition, Hughes urged local authorities to "bear down harder" on the problem by connecting early years provision to economic development.
She said authorities should "make children's centres central to their regeneration", adding that too many councils consist of "male-dominated corporate centres" that neglect the importance of children's centres.
She also called for a "step-change in the flexibility of children's centres" to enable lone parents in particular to go out and work. Hughes said: "For children's centres to reduce poverty, they have to have a rigorous outreach to the most disadvantaged communities."
On the subject of pay, she said children's centre workers would have to wait for the new qualifications frameworks to become established before salaries could increase.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
