BusinessLDN – the independent voice of business in London – has recently published a report with KPMG and the Central District Alliance analysing the business impact of the lack of affordable, quality childcare. The challenges facing an outdated early education and childcare system in the UK, together with the consequences of the pandemic period, have reached a critical point, with recruitment and retention issues hindering much-needed reform. The chief executive of the Early Years Alliance has gone so far as to claim that the government’s current plans “spell disaster.” It is increasingly well understood that there is no time more critical to children’s emotional and social development – and therefore their futures – than the earliest years of life. It is also clear that a lack of good quality early childhood provision and support causes both risks and long-term ramifications for the youngest and most vulnerable members of our society. A partnership that goes beyond Whitehall is now needed, involving businesses, educators, parents, caregivers and communities in a collaborative effort to address the profound issues at play.
Universities, as hubs of research and knowledge, are in a unique position to forge partnerships that connect organisations and experts working on critical analysis and innovative solutions, creating the genuinely collaborative ethos and ecosystem needed to drive meaningful change. At the University of East London (UEL), we recognise the scale and complexity of the challenges facing the early years sector and have worked to establish ourselves as a system leader driving connected thinking.
