Quality of childcare more important than number of hours, analysis says
By Rachel Lawler
Researchers at the London School of Economics have warned that only 鈥渉igh-quality鈥� early years provision has a measurable effect on children鈥檚 outcomes, ahead of next month鈥檚 election.
In a background briefing, produced as part of a series exploring various election issues, the researchers stated: 鈥淭o date, expansions of early years provision has not been very successful in improving child development.鈥�
The briefing notes that many children were already attending early years settings before the roll-out of funded hours in the early 2000s. It also explains that only 鈥渉igh quality provision has a measurable effect on outcomes鈥�.
Impact on outcomes
However, it also noted that achieving high quality provision is 鈥渘ot easy鈥� and stated that 鈥減utting more graduate-trained workers into nursery has very little effect on children鈥檚 outcomes鈥�.
In order to improve child development, the briefing argues that policies should focus on the 鈥渜uality of provision鈥� and says that this will require 鈥渟ubstantial investment鈥�.
The paper says: 鈥淭here needs to be a debate on whether universal coverage or targeted spending on quality provision is a better use of public funds. Much depends on the primary objective of the policy.鈥�
Beyond the ballot box
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: 鈥淲e urgently need to decide what childcare is for in this country because, at the moment, it simply isn鈥檛 clear. You鈥檇 be hard pressed to argue that most 鈥榝ree鈥� entitlements were designed to encourage child development, particularly when they fail to target those children who really need support and, like other recent childcare policies, clearly benefit more affluent families.
鈥淭he vast majority of settings are rated either good or outstanding, but we have long argued that the sector鈥檚 success in Ofsted ratings and parent surveys masks the scale of crisis we face. The fact is that the continued delivery of high-quality provision is almost impossible given the scale of underfunding and the challenges it creates, especially in the recruitment and retention of staff and the accessibility of places in deprived areas.
鈥淭he early years sector boasts a professional and dedicated workforce that鈥檚 equipped with world-leading curriculum in the EYFS. If the next government is serious about child development, then they need to think beyond what works at the ballot box and start putting our youngest children first. That doesn鈥檛 just mean increasing funding levels, it also means they being certain about the support they鈥檙e offering and how it targets those who need it most.鈥�
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