Increase funding, ensure fair pay and prioritise early years education.

Background

We urge the government to increase early years funding to reflect real costs, ensure competitive pay for staff, reduce red tape, and recognise early years as a vital public service. Introduce a long-term funding strategy, emergency support to prevent closures, and tax relief for providers.

Additional details

Early years education is the foundation of children’s development, yet the sector is collapsing due to chronic underfunding. Rising costs for wages, utilities, and resources far exceed inadequate funding increases. Staff are underpaid, burning out, and leaving, leading to shortages and closures. Without urgent action, families will lose childcare, and children will miss out on vital care and education. We need proper funding, fair pay, and recognition of early years as an essential public service.