Since the Government announced the expansion of the funded offer for early childhood places in the spring (March) 2023 Budget, there has been widespread coverage of the implications of this for the sector, especially when addressing challenges around the supply of places, staffing and potential demand.
It is welcome that we have a clear strategy from a Government that is committed to investment in early years, though execution of said strategy is equally as important. There is a danger that if key components of this strategy are left until the last minute, there will be limited time for the sector to make the appropriate investments, much like the handling of the RAAC issue has left schools inadequate time to prepare. In the early years sector, delayed investment could lead to closures further down the line.
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