Childcare: Nursery chain's concern over government's funding plans

Nurseries say it is difficult to recruit experienced employees

There are fears that a rising number of nurseries closing and a staffing crisis will mean a planned government funding increase will fail to help parents.

From April, eligible working parents of two-year-olds will have access to 15 free hours of childcare a week.

But a London nursery chain said more funding did not mean more places.

According to the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), the number of childcare places has dropped by 24,000 in the past financial year.

The government said it would soon be launching a recruitment drive to help.

The minister for children, families and wellbeing, David Johnston, said he was confident the recruitment drive and extra funding for children would work.

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In March's Budget, the government announced the current scheme offering some families in England 30 free hours of childcare a week for three and four-year-olds would be extended to cover younger children.

The changes will be phased in, starting with 15 hours' free childcare a week for eligible parents from April.

From September 2024 eligible children aged between nine months and two years will get 15 hours, and from September 2025 eligible children aged between nine months and three years will get 30 hours.

But concerns have been raised over whether there will be enough places to deliver the expansion.

'Recruitment crisis'

Simone Amaning, area manager for Butterfly Patch nurseries across London and Surrey, said they already had long waiting lists.

"If you want to make funded children come into the nursery, they have to still go on a waiting list.

"Just because you're being funded, it doesn't automatically mean that you're going to get a place. There has to be space for your child to come to the nursery," she said.

Ms Amaning said although the nursery had staff, it was always difficult to recruit experienced employees who "want to come in, not because it's just there".

She added she was intrigued to see what impact the government's recruitment drive would have.

"I don't know how that will solve the recruitment crisis. It'll be very interesting to see what the recruitment drive is and how it will actually benefit and support the staff we actually have in the sector.

"I've been in early years for a long time, and this is the worst it's got.

"Staff are not wanting to come and work in childcare; the passion and the desire is no longer there.

"The long hours, the paperwork, especially when you're young and you can go somewhere else and earn more money."

'Laser-like focus'

It comes as figures from the NDNA show that 70% of nurseries have lost staff in the past year, while the number of nurseries and pre-schools in England fell from 27,291 to 26,884, according to Ofsted.

Including those offered by childminders, the number of childcare places fell by 24,521.

Speaking to BBC London, Mr Johnston said he "totally recognised there had been pressures on staff and recruitment".

He added: "That's why we're starting this big campaign to recruit more people to the sector and increase the money that's going into it. I'm confident we'll be able to support that.

"We are working week after week with a laser-like focus on making sure we have the staff that can deliver that."

He added the government would soon announce more changes on issues such as qualifications for staff.

"I think the sector will welcome the changes we've made because we are listening to them," Mr Johnston said.

The Department for Education said it recognised there were some "challenges in the availability of childcare places but the picture is broadly positive".

"The number of childcare places has remained steady for many years, and this year has decreased by only 2%.

"At the same time the population of 0 to four-year olds in England has decreased by 6% between 2015 and 2021."

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