As reported by the NEU, early years settings of all kinds have struggled to recruit and retain qualified staff, with low wages and overwork being major contributing factors
Commenting on data for 2021/22 published today, Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said:
“The early years is one of the first opportunities government has to tackle social inequality, an opportunity they continue to overlook, at the cost of our youngest children and their families. The data released today is further evidence of their inaction.
“For too long, this sector has faced disturbing levels of underfunding. Early years settings of all kinds have struggled to recruit and retain qualified staff, with low wages and overwork being major contributing factors. Too many maintained nursery schools settings which provide free high-quality education to some of the most deprived areas in the country have also closed.
“The sector is crying out for more funding and support. We need a fully-funded early years sector that provides every child access to good quality early years education. If the government fails to act appropriately, it will irrevocably harm the educational outcomes and life chances of millions of children across the country.”
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