Thousands back call for independent review of childcare funding
Fiona Simpson
Monday, June 7, 2021
Tens of thousands of people have backed calls for an independent review of childcare funding in England.
A petition, set up by founder of motherhood charity Pregnant Then Screwed Joely Brearly, calling for the review has so far amassed more than 95,000 signatures in just under two weeks.
It is calling for the government to commission an independent review of childcare funding and affordability, stating that “we have the second most expensive childcare system in the world”.
“A full-time place costs, on average, £14,000 per year, making it completely unaffordable for many families. Parents are forced to leave their jobs or work fewer hours, which has a negative impact on the economy and on child poverty,” Brearly states.
She adds that childcare workers are “paid so badly” that one in 10 are recorded as living in poverty.
Latest government figures show that 2,087 childcare settings closed in the first three months of 2021.
“An independent review would explore what the government needs to do to ensure we have a childcare sector that works for families, children and the economy,” Brearly states.
If a petition receives more than 100,000 signatures, the government must respond.
Brearly’s petition will remain open until 26 November.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced a new £150,000 programme to support the capital’s nurseries and childminders.
The project Strong Early Years London will be delivered in partnership with early years organisations the Early Years Alliance and Ceeda to provide London’s nurseries and childminders with business support and to create a sector-specific one-stop-shop on the London Business Hub.
It comes after research published by the mayor earlier this year found that early years providers across the capital will struggle to survive the year.
The report found that 64 per cent of nurseries and 56 per cent of childminders consider their services to be at immediate risk of closure or to be facing potential closure in the next 12 months – with those in disadvantaged areas more likely to class themselves as “struggling”.
