Children have been reduced to “numbers on a Treasury spreadsheet” amid Government plans which prioritise free childcare over supporting early learning or improving life chances, a conference has heard.
The promise of up to 30 hours a week of free childcare for working parents in England made in the spring statement was “dumped” on the early years sector without consultation by a “neglectful” Government, a childcare leader said.
Childcare providers cannot take much more pressure and have been put in a position whereby they are expected to deliver on the “huge promise”, the Early Years Alliance (EYA) annual conference heard.
In a keynote speech on Thursday, chief executive Neil Leitch said: “What does Government do? It decides to pile even more pressure onto our sector, once again making a huge promise to families that we are expected to deliver.
“And what’s even more frustrating is that this promise has absolutely nothing to do with supporting early learning or child development or improving children’s life chances.”
