Editor's view - Body of evidence

After a relatively quiet time over the summer, the new term has well and truly arrived amid a welter of reports, research and initiatives.

The 30 hours funded childcare is, of course, very prominent in all this, including the release of the DfE-commissioned study into the first full year of 30 hours.

Findings showed providers pushed into loss-making positions, saying that funding rates were unsustainable, and parents reporting restrictions on hours and charges for extras.

Strangely, the DfE heralded the report as proving the success of the 30 hours policy, with parents 'reaping the benefits' and providers 'stepping up to the plate'.
Research from early years organisations on the 30 hours' not-so-happy birthday gave a rather different spin to the DfE.

The Pre-school Learning Alliance found four in ten providers fearing closure, CEEDA's annual report for About Early Years had a wealth of evidence about the scale of challenge, while the National Day Nurseries Association evaluated the number of nurseries that had closed in the past year (based on membership cancellations) and found a 66 per cent rise on the previous year.

Ofsted statistics are not yet showing any fall in the number of settings on non-domestic premises. Bigger groups are continuing to acquire and launch, and it is the smaller, independent nurseries that are struggling and prone to failure. It does all point to difficulties to come, however.

Meanwhile, two separate reports warned of troubling evidence about the level of provision for the under-threes, with another DfE-commissioned report finding settings reluctant to offer funded places for disadvantaged twos, and the OECD's annual education report showing the UK lagging behind on access for the youngest, least advantaged children. Data aplenty – but we need it to bring about change.