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<p>Having enough staff in place to deliver high-quality education and care will be
key to ensuring the successful delivery of our record expansion of early years entitlements.
Driving up interest in early years careers and ensuring there are enough opportunities
for career development is a priority for this government.</p><p>In the government’s
Spring Budget 2023, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced
transformative reforms to childcare for parents, children and the economy. By 2027/28,
this Government will expect to be spending in excess of £8 billion every year on free
hours and early education, helping working families with their childcare costs. This
represents the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever.</p><p>The department
is developing a range of new workforce initiatives including the launch of a new national
campaign, planned for the beginning of 2024, to boost interest in the sector and support
the recruitment and retention of talented staff. To increase interest in early years,
we are working to remove unnecessary barriers to entering the sector as well as considering
how to make early years qualifications more accessible, coordinated and relevant.</p><p>Over
the summer the department launched a competition for Early Years Skills Bootcamps
with a pathway to an accelerated level 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeship, and
we will consider degree apprenticeship routes so everyone from junior staff to senior
leaders can easily move into or indeed enhance their career in the sector. We are
also working across government to boost early years career awareness by collaborating
with the Department for Work and Pensions and Careers & Enterprise Company to
promote the importance and value of a career in early years.</p><p>Regarding safe
premises, with a growing number of staff joining the sector, the safety of our youngest
children remains as important as ever. All new and existing early years providers
must keep children safe and promote their welfare. The Early Years Foundation Stage
statutory framework sets the standards that all early years providers in England must
meet to ensure that children are kept healthy and safe. More information can be found
here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1170108/EYFS_framework_from_September_2023.pdf"
target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1170108/EYFS_framework_from_September_2023.pdf</a>.</p><p>Under
these requirements, all owners and managers of childcare settings have a responsibility
to ensure that their premises, including overall floor space and outdoor spaces, are
fit for purpose and suitable for the age of children cared for and the activities
provided on the premises. All providers must also comply with the requirements of
health and safety legislation, including fire safety and hygiene requirements. At
all times when children are present, at least one person who has a current paediatric
first aid certificate must be on the premises.</p><p>Under Section 6 of the Childcare
Act 2006, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the provision of childcare
is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area. Part B of the Early
education and childcare statutory guidance for local authorities highlights that local
authorities should report annually to elected council members on how they are meeting
their duty to secure sufficient childcare, and to make this report available and accessible
to parents. More information can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2</a>.</p><p>The
Department has regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency
of childcare and any issues they are facing. Where local authorities report sufficiency
challenges, we discuss what action the local authority is taking to address those
issues and where needed support the local authority with any specific requirements
through our childcare sufficiency support contract.</p>
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