Early years education in the UK: Falling availability and rising prices
Just days away from the first phase of major expansion to childcare support, new...read more
The Fawcett Society has written to the Chancellor, calling for urgent investment in the childcare sector so that it can support families, particularly women, in work.
Women’s jobs and progression are at risk if the Government does not provide financial support to the childcare sector which has been badly hit during the pandemic, according to an open letter sent by the Fawcett Society to the Chancellor.
It says: “Our collective efforts to increase rates of maternal employment could be in vain if a lack of access to childcare presents a barrier to the workplace. Businesses would lose access to vital skills, damaging productivity, performance, and longer-term recovery.”
In says that to safeguard a rise in maternal employment, given women are still most likely to be the primary carers, the Chancellor needs to help the childcare sector out. It cites figures from the Early Years Alliance from April which show 25% of their pre-school, nursery or childminder members felt it was unlikely they would be operating in a year’s time and 69% expecting to operate at a loss over the next six months.
The letter is signed by the British Chambers of Commerce, the Chartered Management Institute, the Federation of Small Businesses, and the Institute of Directors, between them representing businesses of different sizes and types. It is also signed by the chairs of the Education, Women and Equalities, and Liaison Select Committees, Robert Halfon MP, Caroline Nokes MP, and Bernard Jenkin MP, and by the former Children’s Minister Tim Loughton.
The letter comes in advance of the Chancellor’s upcoming announcements on spending decisions.
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