The Pre-School Learning Alliance wholeheartedly applauds the increasedfunding for Sure Start, early years and childcare. However, the earlyyears and childcare sector currently faces several pressing challenges,most specifically long-term sustainability.
There are particular concerns for childcare providers in areas of highunemployment and low incomes, where the role of childcare in alleviatingchild poverty is crucial.
As the largest voluntary sector provider of neighbourhood nurseries andnurseries in children's centres, the Pre-School Learning Alliance isacutely aware of these concerns, which are compounded by the fact thatthe neighbourhood nurseries subsidy ends next month.
We stress that successful outcomes for these children and families canonly be achieved with long-term, sustained, supply-side funding. Wetherefore hope that the increased funding announced in the 2007 Budgetaccounts not only for the children's centres needed to meet the 2010target of 3,500, but also the funding gap caused by the end of theneighbourhood nursery subsidy.
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