The leaked Bell Review report has thrust early years education into the spotlight, revealing serious challenges but also significant opportunities. Answering the challenges raised in the report calls for more than short-term fixes; it demands a reimagining of our sector to ensure long-term success.
The first key finding – the funding gap – reflects a fundamental issue: the current model commits to ‘free’ childcare hours for families, which historically hasn’t matched the cost of delivery, or kept up with inflation. The policy itself has created childcare ‘desserts’. Now the conversation needs to shift. We must move beyond patching the system and start investing strategically in a model that truly reflects the developmental importance of early years education, with quality at the cornerstone, not an afterthought.
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