9 in 10 parents think early years sector underfunded - MPs' survey

The findings come from a survey conducted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Childcare and Early Education.

The cross-party group of parliamentarians’ online survey of more than 1,300 parents in England, carried out at the end of January, found that just 11 per cent of parents surveyed said that the financial settlement currently on offer to the early years sector was enough.

It also revealed concerns over the impact a lack of sector support could have on parents’ ability to work, with more than a third (36 per cent) saying that a loss of early years care and education would prevent them from being able to return to their physical place of work, highlighting the extent to which a lack of support for the early years could put the country’s economic recovery at risk.

When asked about the possible effect of being unable to access their early years setting, just under three quarters (72 per cent) of respondents said they would struggle with work-life balance, while nearly half feared it would lead to a potential loss of income (47 per cent) or cause them to lose out on vital career progression (45 per cent).

The majority (90 per cent) of survey respondents were women, which raises concerns that any underfunding of the sector could unfairly penalise the female workforce, should providers be forced to close.