Policy and Politics

Don't forget early years, MPs are urged after election

Catherine Gaunt, 11 May 2010, 12:00am

Early years and childcare organisations have been quick to emphasise the importance of keeping up momentum on policies for young children and families, and the need for the new Government to ensure that early years is not sidelined, in the wake of the General Election.

Sector leaders called for resolution of the problems of implementing the Early Years Single Funding Formula.

June O'Sullivan, chief executive of the London Early Years Foundation, said, 'My fear is that with all the concentration on voting systems and who is in charge, early years will be off the radar. I wonder if children will get a look-in.

'On the other hand, perhaps the situation will mean we will be left to carry on what we are doing well, without everything being reviewed.'

She added, 'What I want is for the Early Years Single Funding Formula to be sorted out, for the two-year-olds offer to be continued because it's reaching the hard-to-reach much more effectively than anything else around, and for children's centres to have a more coherent offer.'

The National Childminding Association also urged the new Government to cement its commitment to early years and childcare.

Joint chief executive Catherine Farrell said, 'NCMA looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that all families have access to high-quality childcare and all children reach their full potential.

'We know that all the major political parties are committed to supporting parental choice and we will call on the Government to provide parents with genuine choice by maintaining investment in the sector and supporting different forms of childcare provision, including registered childminders and nannies. Only by investing in all forms of childcare will the Government ensure that families can access the childcare that best meets their needs.'

Chief executive of Montessori St Nicholas, Philip Bujak, said, 'I hope that whoever is appointed Minister for Children will not only have a background in education, but understand the vital importance of getting down to work on day one on the issues affecting the early years in this country - namely, the issues surrounding the Early Years Single Funding Formula, which is forcing many Montessori schools to either close or become fully private, which none of us wants, and simplifying the debate over early years qualifications, which for the last 13 years has been an increasing bureaucratic muddle.'

ELECTION RESULTS for the key members with responsibilities for children,
schools and families

LABOUR

Ed Balls - Secretary of State for children, schools and families
Constituency: Morley and Outwood
Votes: 18,365
Majority: 1,101

Dawn Primarolo - Children's minister
Constituency: Bristol South
Votes: 18,600
Majority: 4,734

CONSERVATIVE

Maria Miller - Shadow minister for families
Constituency: Basingstoke
Votes: 25,590
Majority: 13,174

Michael Gove - Shadow education minister
Constituency: Surrey Heath
Votes: 31,326
Majority: 17,289