PM criticised for failing to mention childcare as a priority for 2023

Yesterday (4 January), the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delivered his first speech of the new year, outlining his priorities for 2023, which include plans to make pupils continue to study maths until age 18. Despite rumours that he has dropped plans to reform childcare, he failed to mention early education when referring to his plans for education, making a very brief reference to family hubs.

He said, ‘I am now making numeracy a central objective of the education system.

‘That doesn’t have to mean compulsory A level in maths for everyone. But we will work with the sector to move towards all children studying some form of maths to 18.

‘Family matters. We need to support parents to manage the demands of modern workplaces without weakening the irreplaceable bonds of family life.

‘And we’re going to roll out Family Hubs to offer parents the support they need to raise a child.

‘Because I believe deeply that family – not just Government – can help us answer the profound questions we face as a country.

‘When it comes to health, family cares for us when we are sick and old; family teaches us values in education; when it comes to community – family guides us in right and wrong.’

The National Day Nurseries (NDNA) called it a missed opportunity for the Prime Minister to outline his ambition for early education and care, while the Early Years Alliance argued said that a ‘functioning childcare and early education system is just as much as part of our social infrastructure as the railways and the NHS', and therefore should have been included as a key priority for the year ahead.

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of NDNA, said, ‘It is shocking that the Prime Minister did not even acknowledge or mention in his speech how crucial early education is to children and families.

‘Although he highlighted every other aspect of education, stressing it was the closest thing we have to a silver bullet, he missed the opportunity to outline his ambition for early education and care. Getting the first five years right is crucial to any ‘world class education system’, it must not be brushed off as babysitting or treated as a nice to have. This lack of focus on those key pre-school foundation years shows a lack of understanding about their importance in later life.

‘He is keen to build a better future through growth but growing the economy needs a childcare policy that works for everyone, potentially boosting family earnings by £10bn. Parents are leaving work as they can’t afford to pay for a nursery place. This is because the Government contribution is among the lowest in the developed world. There is no sign of his ambitious plan to reform this dire situation which is a total oversight in his priorities.’

Chief executive of the Early Years Alliance Neil Leitch commented, ‘How can it be that at a time when thousands of early years providers are closing every year, staff are leaving the sector in droves and parents are facing crippling costs, the Prime Minister gives a key speech about priorities for the upcoming year and doesn’t even mention the early years beyond a passing reference to family hubs?

‘If encouraging more people back into work is a key Government aim for the years ahead, perhaps tackling our broken early years system and ensuring that mothers aren't priced out of the workforce as a result of spiralling early years costs might be a good place to start. And if a quality education is so important, why not invest adequately in the sector that supports children's learning during their most critical period of development?

‘While we of course recognise that the government has a number of pressing priorities at the moment, a functioning childcare and early education system is just as much a part of our social infrastructure as the railways and the NHS. The idea that ministers intend to simply ignore the growing crisis and hope it goes away on its own is simply inconceivable.’

Child Poverty

The Child Poverty Action Group criticised the Prime Minister for his lack of action on poverty.

Chief executive Alison Garnham said, ‘The Prime Minister is right to want a better future for children but where then was the pledge to tackle child poverty?  Promising more maths in the curriculum won’t make it any easier for hungry children to learn. With almost four million UK kids in poverty this new year, the Government must ‘reimagine’ its approach to child poverty. If the Prime Minister wants to help with feelings of apprehension, he must get more money to families through our social security system so all children have a decent standard of living.’