Early Years Education in Focus
January 2022:
An overview of my work in support of Early Years Education.
Throughout the last month, my team and I have heard from parents and early years education providers about the concerns and priorities we share ahead of Childcare and Early Education Week, this past final week of January.
Decades ago, my early work included chairing the Church of England Children's Society and founding the Family Forum, both focusing on the importance of early learning before it had become a mainstream campaign.
At the end of January, I was pleased to chair the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Childcare and Early Education on what early years professionals do with our children and parents.
My team and I reached out to every Early Years provider in Worthing West to best understand the current situation and issues facing them. We also spoke with Ministers and campaign groups about how their concerns might best be acted on.
In conversation with providers across Worthing and Arun, we recognise and share concerns about funding levels, recruitment, regulatory pressures as well as inadequate support to address the impact of Covid-19 and subsequent lockdowns on the development of young children. Policymakers must support them.
My team and I support their critical work alongside like-minded campaigners and colleagues. Our campaigning continues beyond this important month in focus.