Interview - Graham Whitham

What experience do you bring to the role?

I’ve spent the past eight years working in senior policy and advocacy roles for Oxfam and Save the Children. In both roles, I focused on major policy challenges affecting low-income families in the UK, developing high-level expertise on issues such as social security reform, the poverty premium and in-work poverty. At Save the Children we campaigned on childcare funding, and were successful in securing additional funding for childcare from central government. Save the Children’s domestic poverty programme went through a period of significant growth during my time there as the organisation began to focus on programme interventions aimed at supporting children’s development.

What are your priorities?

It is important that NDNA continues to be a strong and robust voice on behalf of the sector. Our role is to ensure that the views of nurseries are heard by Government so that policy can be improved. We also need to think about the level at which policy change can be achieved. I am used to working closely with colleagues at a devolved level and I look forward to helping shape childcare policy in Wales and Scotland, as well as in Westminster.

What would you say are the most pressing challenges for the sector?

The 30 hours provision for three- and four-year-olds and the fact that Government funding for the scheme doesn’t cover the majority of nurseries’ costs. We are at a really crucial moment. If funding for 30 hours is improved and Government takes steps to reduce the financial pressures facing nurseries, such as making nurseries exempt from business rates, as is happening in Scotland, then the sector will be put on a much firmer footing.

What projects/research will you be working on in the coming months?

NDNA regularly surveys the sector and uses this knowledge to influence and shape government policy. We are in the process of planning our annual workforce and nursery surveys. I am also keen to explore how NDNA can work with other organisations on joint policy and research projects. We will be asking what needs to happen to make the UK the most child- and family-friendly country in Europe. Early years provision, in terms of accessibility, quality and affordability, will always be central to that and NDNA’s policy and research work has the potential to shape the early years agenda.