Published 12 days ago

Free childcare plan risks lowering standards, report finds

The National Audit Office warns of potential quality risks in childcare due to an influx of inexperienced staff and higher staff-to-child ratios needed by 2025.
Lack of sector input and pilot studies is criticized in the NAO report, with concerns over unintended consequences of inexperienced staff and widened attainment gaps for disadvantaged children.
Neil Leitch of the Early Years Alliance calls the report damning, revealing flaws in early years expansion plans and policy-making approach.

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BBC News

Government cancelled plans to test free childcare rollout, says watchdog

The National Audit Office says a £35m pilot to test the expansion of free childcare in a few areas was cancelled.

12 days ago·United Kingdom

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The Guardian

England childcare scheme may struggle to deliver places, finds ‘damning’ report

Watchdog says only a third of local authorities are confident they will have enough places for SeptemberThe deployment of the government’s childcare scheme to tens of thousands more families is facing “significant uncertainties” and may struggle to meet its own targets, according to a report by Whitehall’s spending watchdog.The National Audit Office revealed the Department for Education (DfE) had assessed the likelihood of being able to deliver …

12 days ago·London, United Kingdom

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Daily Mirror

Free childcare hours at risk as 9% of areas confident of having enough places

The NAO spending watchdog has warned it will be 'challenging' to recruit early years workers to provide enough places. It raised concerns about the quality of provision

12 days ago·London, United Kingdom

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The Telegraph

Parents face worse childcare under Sunak’s free hours expansion

National Audit Office warns inexperienced staff influx and lower staff-to-child supervision ratios could jeopardise quality

12 days ago·London, United Kingdom

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Sky News UK

Free childcare plan risks lowering standards, report finds

Amid estimates of 85,000 new childcare places needed by September 2025, the National Audit Office said "uncertainties" remain over whether the sector can expand to deliver enough places amid a lack of qualified staff and suitable space.

12 days ago·United Kingdom

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