Letters to the Editor: Childminders need vital support

While we join the Daycare Trust’s call to maintain affordability and quality of care, its Childcare Costs Survey tells only half the story (‘£700m a year needed to cover mounting childcare bills, says think-tank’).

The small increases in fees levied by childminders reflect very real rises to their running costs. Those working in childcare also face an increasingly tough situation with increases of just 36p per child, per hour recorded last year.

Many earn near to or below the minimum wage and are poorly rewarded for the quality childcare they provide. Action must be taken to support those working in the industry, as well as parents.

Liz Bayram, joint chief executive, National Childminding Association


Staff deserve proper recognition

As we wave farewell to evidence-based policy making, and cast a backward glance at children’s centres and other provision that gave parents more choices and improved young children’s outcomes, spare a thought for the staff.

The quality of early years staff is important, but some would argue that the wellbeing of staff is paramount. How much longer can the one-size-fits-all “poor quality” label stick before “good enough” practitioners cut and run?

Our workforce complies with every change; many are returning to education, upgrading to Early Years Professional Status and taking advantage of every training opportunity available. In fact, having raised the quality of the workforce, they could be forgiven for thinking some recognition might be in order. Dream on!

The only reward is more work, more children, more responsibility, fewer funded training opportunities and no more pay.

Dr Margaret Simms, early years consultant, Nottinghamshire


Psychologists fear training cuts
There is a real danger that cuts to local educational psychology services will hamper the future training of professionals (‘Children and Families Bill unclear on educational psychologists’).

The danger is that these cuts leave services struggling to support training placements – pushing the profession into an invidious cycle when it comes to training, employment and service delivery. The ultimate losers are the vulnerable children and young people who need the support of educational psychologists.

It is vital that local authorities retain sufficient capacity in their educational psychology services to support training placements.

Kate Fallon, general secretary, Assoc­iation of Educational Psychologists