The Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey 2008, carried out for the Department for Children, Schools and Families, found that higher proportions of staff in full daycare and on-site full daycare in children's centres had achieved a level 3 qualification compared with staff working in other types of childcare provision.
The Government has set a target for all full daycare providers to be led by a graduate with Early Years Professional Status by 2015.
The survey by BMRB found that fewer than a fifth have at least one graduate with EYP Status.
Pay has risen but there is still disparity among providers, with staff working in full daycare in children's centres earning the most, on average £10.40 an hour.
Staff in holiday clubs earn an average of £8.20 per hour and those working in after-school clubs earn an average of £7.80. Staff in sessional and full daycare earn the least, on average £7.20 and £7.30 an hour respectively.
National Day Nurseries Association chief executive Purnima Tanuku said, 'The NDNA was interested to see staff in full daycare settings in children's centres are some of the highest paid in the sector. While NDNA believes early years staff should be paid the wages they deserve, due to private, voluntary and independent providers relying on parental fees and 80 per cent of these already going directly on salaries, it is impossible for nurseries to match pay and conditions in the maintained sector without significant fee increases for parents. We believe increased support for salaries is vital.'
The survey also found that parents are putting their children into childcare for longer hours, leading to a rise of 77 per cent in the number of full daycare providers since 2001.
There has also been a drop in the number of childminders, with only 56,100 active childminders now offering places in England - a 6 per cent decrease since 2007.
Andrew Fletcher, joint chief executive of the National Childminding Association, said NCMA research showed that the majority of childminders who leave the profession often go to work in other children's services jobs.
He said, 'There are a number of reasons for the small decline, most notably changes to policy and regulatory frameworks and the challenging economic environment. We know that in some areas, higher levels of unemployment during the recession have reduced the demand for childminders, while in other parts of the country demand for places has increased, as parents seek more flexible forms of childcare to match more flexible working or longer working hours.'
Further information: www.dcsf.gov.uk/research
SURVEY FINDINGS
- Across all providers and all staff types, 66 per cent of the workforce is now qualified to level 3 or above and 11 per cent qualified to level 6 or above
- Staff in full daycare in children's centres earn more per hour than any other providers, at an average of £10.40 per hour
- Staff in sessional and full daycare earn the least, at £7.20 and £7.30 per hour.