The early years sector is crucial for providing our children with the best start in life and is a lifeline for many families. Good quality childcare improves our youngest children’s health, development and educational attainment, as well as helping to reduce inequality and support parents returning to work.
As we emerge from this pandemic and look towards recovery, it’s more important than ever that we have a strong and well-funded early years sector.
We’ve seen the toll that lockdown has taken on our children’s education and development as key opportunities for learning and social development were missed. Parents have also endured high levels of stress as they were forced to juggle their careers with providing childcare, with much of the burden falling unfairly on women.
It’s clear we need a thriving sector to help develop, educate and inspire our next generation, and to allow parents to work and play their part in driving forward our economy.
To secure our city’s future, we must be investing in our early years sector. That’s why I’m supporting childcare providers and why I’m calling on the Government to match my efforts and do the same.
Our research published earlier this year found that 64 per cent of nurseries and 56 per cent of childminders in London consider their services to be at immediate risk of closure or to be facing potential closure in the next 12 months.
This includes 70 per cent of nurseries in disadvantaged areas of London, compared with 59 per cent of nurseries in more affluent areas.
That’s why I’m investing £150,000 into supporting London’s early years sector. Together with the Early Years Alliance and CEEDA, I’m creating Strong Early Years London – a new initiative to provide childminders and nurseries with business support, advice, and guidance.
Unfortunately, financial challenges are not a new problem for the sector. For far too long, it’s not received the investment it badly needs. That’s why in my first term I funded the opening of Early Years Hubs. I also invested in leadership and business skills through my Early Years Leaders Programme and launched my Healthy Early Years London initiative.
By investing in London’s early years education sector, we are investing in our recovery, our young people and the future of our city – and I will continue making the case to Government that more funding is essential. We need to ensure childminders and nurseries can flourish and that families, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, aren’t left behind. Our recovery, and the success of young Londoners, depends on it.