Progress with the Childcare Act GOEM Conference 30th March 2009 Jodie Reed Assistant Head of Childcare

The Childcare Act – a real first 136 years after the first Education Act, the first ever act to be exclusively concerned with early years and childcare Duties which require LAs to: Improve ECM outcomes and reduce inequalities for 0-5s Secure sufficient childcare for working parents of children aged 0-14 – taking a strategic lead in the market Provide better parental information for families with children A coherent and consistent framework - EYFS Framework and Ofsted register

Progress since the Childcare Act Child outcomes: 2008 FSP results show results rising and the gap starting to narrow, £800m to support local drive on quality Sufficient childcare: Sufficiency assessments and Duty, more Childrens Centres and Extended Services, 95% take-up of offer to 3s and 4s, working toward 15 hours and greater flexibility in 2010 and new offer to disadvantaged 2s Better information: New standards for FIS quality, toolkit for FIS, affordable childcare helpline, Parent Know-how Consistency across settings: EYFS introduced, new Ofsted register and inspection framework is bedding down – GLF and Single Funding Formulas also helping level playing field

More to do Outcomes and quality: Only just beginning to turn the corner on results. 28% of staff in full daycare didnt have a level 3 in 2007 (though down from 43% in 2003). More to do to embed a learning culture. Sufficiency and flexibility: Sufficiency Duty suggests holidays a particular problem, latent demand for provision for school aged children Information: The Childcare and Early Years Survey 2007 highlighted that 39 percent of parents wanted more information on costs of childcare and 24 percent wanted more information on quality.

Next Steps For Early Learning and Childcare...

Some of the key commitments on supporting child outcomes and reducing inequalities... Free places for the most disadvantaged 2yos in every LA Considering making graduate and L3 commitments into legal requirements for 2015 Pilot a programme to attract top graduates into the workforce; Develop career pathways and reward commitment and excellence across the workforce; promote a training and development framework and create an annual training expectation or entitlement for practitioners up to graduate level;

Some of the key commitments on meeting parent demand for sufficient and flexible places... Sufficiency and flexibility LA sufficiency action plans – with particular 5-14 focus Stretching the free offer Clear expectations of LAs duty to actively manage market Exploring linking entitlement funding to outcomes Develop new childminder networking approaches

Some of the key commitments on information... Ready Reckoner for advisers London Childcare Affordability Pilot testing intensive support Set an expectation that all providers supply information on staff qualifications, price and vacancies to the Local Authority; Price and quality comparison website Strengthen the national helpline

What Does That Mean? More coherent approach for parents Sufficiency, take up and the free entitlement all part of a market management approach Some specific delivery issues – eg 2,yos 3,yos and 4,yos and sufficiency action plans Making the most of funding for quality and working together with us and CWDC Improving take up an objective for most changes – developing good outreach and information services will be critical

The context is changing No significant change in occupancy levels – but the position is fluid Demand for 0-2 provision is higher in a number of places but demand for out of school and holiday care is down Childminders may be particularly vulnerable to the credit crunch as the flexibility they offer gives parents greater scope to cut costs Some evidence that some group settings are starting to adopt pricing structures that encourage take-up of more hours. Some providers reporting greater stability in staffing. Concerns about continuity of WTC when parents loose their jobs (but there is a safety net!).