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Select Committee · Education Committee

Support for childcare and the early years

Status: Closed Opened: 15 Dec 2022 Closed: 23 Nov 2023 24 recommendations 8 conclusions 1 report

The Education Committee has launched an inquiry into support for childcare and the early years. The inquiry will examine how easy to navigate the current childcare system is for parents and carers, and whether current childcare entitlements are providing families with affordable and flexible childcare. The Committee will assess the effectiveness of the different funding …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifth Report - Support for childcare and the early years HC 969 26 Jul 2023 32 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
1 Conclusion Fifth Report - Support for childcare an… Acknowledged

Spring Budget missed opportunity to reform tax-free childcare and enhance system flexibility

The Spring Budget announcements are a welcome sign that the Government has realised that urgent care and attention is needed in the childcare and early years education market. We particularly welcome the additional funding for Universal Credit entitlements and the additional investment in extending the subsidised hours, but feel that …

Government response. The government welcomes the report and acknowledges the committee's appetite for further system change. It highlights the significant investment and transformative reforms announced in the Spring Budget 2023, including increased Universal Credit entitlements and extended subsidised hours, as its commitment …
Department for Education
14 Conclusion Fifth Report - Support for childcare an… Acknowledged

Tax-free childcare offers flexible support; withdrawal not in parents' best interests

Despite some witnesses recommending the withdrawal of tax-free childcare and the use of the funding elsewhere, we recognise the benefits of the more flexible support it can provide, especially for wrap around care for school age children. Therefore, we do not believe that withdrawal would be in the interests of …

Government response. The government details the existing range of childcare support, including Tax-Free Childcare, affirming its continuation in line with the committee's conclusion not to withdraw it.
Department for Education
20 Conclusion Fifth Report - Support for childcare an… Acknowledged

Robust evidence base for under-two early childhood education benefits remains undeveloped.

We note that there is less data about the benefits of formal ECEC on children under two years old as studies have focused on children who were receiving the funded entitlement. It will be important to ensure that there is a robust evidence base for this age group is developed …

Government response. The government recognises the Committee’s recommendation and will continue to monitor the evidence base as they roll out the expansion of the entitlements.
Department for Education
24 Recommendation Fifth Report - Support for childcare an… Acknowledged

Make career development for early years practitioners an urgent priority to attract and retain staff.

Early years professionals are vitally important. We recommend career development for early years practitioners be made an urgent priority in order to attract and retain more people in the profession. We are concerned about lack of parity of esteem between early years settings and primary schools.

Government response. The government acknowledges the importance of early years professionals and states that workforce support and career development remain a priority, outlining existing programmes and ongoing efforts to explore how best to recruit and retain staff, including funding training for up …
Department for Education

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
9 May 2023 Claire Coutinho · Department for Education, Susie Owen · Department for Education View ↗
18 Apr 2023 Adam Hawksbee · Onward, Christine Farquharson · Institute for Fiscal Studies, Dr Tammy Campbell · Education Policy Institute, Iain Mansfield · Policy Exchange, Professor Birgitta Rabe · Institute for Social and Economic Success, Professor Eva Lloyd · International Centre for the Study of the Mixed Economy of Childcare, University of East London View ↗
21 Mar 2023 Jane Harris · Speech and Language UK, Joeli Brearley · Pregnant Then Screwed, Jolanta Lasota · Ambitious about Autism, Mary Mulvey-Oates · Contact, Mrs Anne Fennell · Mothers at Home Matter, Victoria Benson · Gingerbread View ↗
21 Feb 2023 Dr Julian Grenier CBE · Sheringham Nursery School and Children's Centre, East London, Emma Gardner · Early Years and Childcare, Spring by Action for Children, Gemma Rolstone · Puffins Childcare, Devon, Kara Jewell · Sparkle Lodge Early Years, Portsmouth, Professor Celia Greenway · University of Birmingham View ↗
31 Jan 2023 Helen Donohoe · PACEY (Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years), Laura Barbour · The Sutton Trust, Megan Jarvie · Coram Family and Childcare, Neil Leitch OBE · Early Years Alliance View ↗

Correspondence

1 letter
DateDirectionTitle
25 Oct 2023 — Correspondence to the Treasury following responses to funding recommendations m…