Opinion

Rising to the challenge: providing a strong start

In the six months since my appointment as childcare and education
minister I have seen many examples of the fantastic work in the sector, says Sam Gyimah.

I have been inspired by the passion of the people I have met on my visits to nurseries and, as a new father myself, I am reassured by the quality and variety of the services you are offering to families. Our young people are starting out in good hands.

Last year heralded very significant improvements in the early years sector. In summer, we saw the extension of our two-year-old offer with 40 per cent of two-year-olds now eligible to access 15 hours of free childcare each week. I would like to thank you for stepping up to the challenge of meeting this demand. We also saw the launch of childminder agencies to give childminders a new way to offer their services and find holiday cover and training.

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