A Lincolnshire pre-school is backing a call for a rise in pay for workers in the early years sector
It comes as an open letter has been sent to Downing Street calling for urgent Government action
Last updated 7th Feb 2024
A pre-school in Lincolnshire is warning that there needs to be an increase in pay for workers in the early years sector ahead of the Government's flagship childcare expansion.
It comes as an open letter has been sent to Downing Street, signed by leading figures in the childcare industry, calling for urgent Government action.
From April this year, working parents of two-year-olds will get 15 hours of funded childcare- each week -during term time. Children from nine months old will be included from September.
Jacqueline Stratford-Parker, is the co-owner of Puddle Ducks Pre-School in Alvingham near Louth.
She says that the expansion plays down offerings of unique centres:
"All childcare setting are different, none of us are the same no mater what, ours is different; we're a small rural setting, we offer a forest school, we're on a farm. But the Government want to put us all in the same pot."
She also shared more details of the role that early years workers play:
"Our role as childcare provider is nurturing the child, making sure the child is safe, working out if the child's meeting their developmental needs, we need to talk to health visitors, we need to talk to Specialist Educational Teachers - we're not just babysitters.
"We're counsellors, we're social workers, we're parents support, we're educators, we help children develop. This is why the Government need to ay staff the money that they deserve, for the highly qualified professionals that they are."
Department for Education Spokesperson said:
“We have launched a significant new communications campaign, alongside an accelerated childcare apprenticeship and degree apprenticeship, to help recruit more staff into the brilliant early years sector and make sure the rollout of our largest ever investment in childcare is a success.
“We are also investing hundreds of millions of pounds to increase rates paid for government-funded hours, which can be used to support staff salaries, and are providing a package of training, qualifications, and expert guidance worth up to £180 million to help retain staff in the sector.”