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NEWS RELEASE

2 April 2008

IPPR’s report 'For Love or Money': Pre-school Learning Alliance urges investment and support for the early years workforce

Commenting on the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) on pay, progression and professionalism in the early years workforce, Michael Freeston, Director of Quality Improvement for the Pre-school Learning Alliance, England's largest voluntary sector provider of childcare, said,

"We welcome the IPPR's report. Its findings provide further evidence of the need for significant government investment in the early years to drive up quality in the workforce. Such investment is, we believe, the only way to address the historic, and unacceptable, low status and low pay experienced by those working in the childcare sector.

The Pre-school Learning Alliance supports, and is committed to, the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC)'s target for NVQ Level 3 – equivalent to an A Level — to be the minimum qualification held by early years staff. We also believe that this minimum qualification standard must be supported by a clear ladder to encourage professional development, and a framework for pay which remunerates the workforce appropriately. Furthermore, the Alliance supports processes to facilitate local rather than national pay arrangements.

Childcare providers are facing many challenges to their sustainability as they strive to provide affordable quality childcare. Salaries already account for 80% of providers' costs, and parents pay much higher costs for childcare than their European counterparts. The Alliance asserts that neither parents nor providers can afford to support the investment needed to develop the workforce.

There has been substantial investment in the early years over the past 10 years for which this Government must be praised. The Alliance continues to assert however that for children, families and society as a whole to reap the long term benefits of high quality early years care and education, there has to be significant, long-term, supply-side investment in its dedicated and talented workforce. We look forward to working with government and our Local Authority partners and CWDC to realise the ambitions for childcare practitioners."

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Kate Summerside
Pre-school Learning Alliance
T: 020 7697 2502
Out of hours press calls: 07956 499621
E: Kate Summerside

Notes for Editors:

  1. The Pre-school Learning Alliance is the largest voluntary sector provider of quality affordable childcare and education in England.
  2. Through direct provision and its membership of 15,000 nurseries, sessional pre-schools and parent and toddler groups, the Alliance supports over 800,000 children and their families in England. The Alliance also develops and runs family learning programmes, offers information and advice, runs acclaimed training and accreditation programmes and campaigns to influence early years policy and practice.
  3. For information about the Pre-school Learning Alliance, visit our website: www.pre-school.org.uk
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