Childcare workforce conditions must be improved before implementing reforms experts told MPs, during an evidence session discussing the changes announced as part of the most recent Budget.
The education select committee heard from academics and economists, who said that the workforce challenges are likely to pose problems when implementing the reforms.
“Because the reforms are focused on relieving parental childcare costs, unless we address this issue at the same time as the completely unacceptable conditions of the childcare workforce, I very much doubt that we are going to have successful implementation,” said professor Eva Lloyd, director at the International Centre for the Study of the Mixed Economy of Childcare, University of East London.
“Providers are struggling with the workforce absolutely having reached the end of the rope. Exhausted after Covid, and now dealing with the cost-of-living crisis, they are leaving in droves.
