Labour urges for ‘big conversation’ on early years

Labour is launching a programme of engagement events on early years to talk to families about the importance of early education and childcare services.

The programme launch coincides with findings that reveal that spending on Sure Start children’s centres and children under five has been cut by 40 per cent since 2015. Labour analysis shows that on top of the 12,000 early education and childcare providers that have been lost since 2015, 30,000 more early years providers are at risk of closure within a year.

On a visit to a London Early Years Foundation nursery with the Mayor of London and Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green, Labour’s Shadow Early Years Minister Tulip Siddiq discussed how she wants a ‘big conversation’ on early years, as part of Labour’s Bright Future Taskforce, working to ensure every child can recover from the pandemic and achieve their potential.

Siddiq said: “The early years are critical for a child’s development and childcare is a fundamental building block of our economy but, over the last decade, early years services have been neglected. This Conservative Government has failed to listen to families who have been unable to get the childcare, early education and wellbeing support they need. As we emerge from the pandemic, we need to have a big conversation with the public about how we can rebuild this essential infrastructure.”