Free childcare plan risks lowering standards, report finds

The government’s free childcare programme risks “jeopardising quality”, a report has found, as campaigners warn urgent action is needed to satisfy the otherwise “near-impossible” promise it made to working parents.

There are concerns the Tory’s extended childcare plan could ‘jeopardise quality’. Pic: iStock

Eligible parents and carers of two-year-olds are now entitled to access 15 hours of free childcare after the first phase of the Tory’s plan began this month.

From September, these 15 hours will be extended to all eligible parents of children older than nine months. By September 2025, the government wants all children aged from nine months to five years to be eligible for 30 hours of free childcare.

However, the National Audit Office (NAO) said there is a risk of quality being “jeopardised” by an influx of “inexperienced” early years staff, alongside higher staff-to-child supervision ratios for two-year-olds.

Amid estimates of 85,000 new childcare places needed by September 2025, the NAO said “uncertainties” remain over whether the sector can expand to deliver enough places amid a lack of qualified staff and suitable space.

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Only 34% of local authorities, surveyed by the Department for Education (DfE) in March, were confident there would be enough places in their area this September to meet demand.

The timetable for extended childcare was set despite “significant uncertainties” around feasibility, costs and benefits, as the DfE did not consult the early years sector ahead of the announcement, the watchdog said.

Dame Meg Hillier, chairwoman of the cross-party Public Accounts Committee (PAC), said: “DfE needs to clarify with urgency what it will do if the early years sector cannot recruit the staff it so desperately needs, to avoid disappointing tens of thousands of parents over the next 18 months.”

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance (EYA), said: “With the sector currently facing one of the worst staffing crises in its history, ensuring that there are enough early years places to fulfil the huge promise that ministers have made to parents is likely to be near-impossible without urgent action from government, namely, a comprehensive workforce strategy underpinned by adequate long-term funding for the sector.”

In February, the government launched a £6.5m-backed recruitment campaign to encourage people to work in the early years sector.

A DfE spokesperson said: “We have taken decisive steps to prepare the sector for the next phases, including increasing funding well above market rates, launching a workforce campaign and new apprenticeship routes, as well as providing £100m of capital funding to help expand or refurbish facilities.”