Whether it is a lack of capital for new-build children's centres, providers withdrawing from Neighbourhood Nurseries, pay and conditions being downgraded, challenges in achieving sustainability, large charities having to sell their services on the cheap, or private providers having to make a loss on providing free three- and four-year-old entitlement, the root cause is the same - chronic under-funding from central Government.
Not long ago I felt optimistic that we had a Government that recognised the vital importance of a child's early years and was prepared to put funding in place to ensure the best outcomes for children and their families.
Instead, these outcomes depend on the willingness of other organisations to pick up the tab.
Three- and four-year-old places in private and voluntary settings is a leading example of this. I applaud the private providers who have said 'enough is enough', and urge all non-maintained sector providers to do a quick sum. What is the difference between the amount you get from Government (via your local authority) for all funded children in a term, and the amount you would charge paying parents or carers for the same sessions? This difference is the true cost to you of providing the free sessions. This term I have subsidised the Government by 3,800.
In North Yorkshire we are lucky to have a local authority that recognises the situation and seems willing to push for changes in a spirit of partnership with the providers that it relies on so heavily to meet Government targets for childcare provision. If we can push for change, then perhaps we can force a realisation that the childcare goals of quality, affordability and flexibility cost real money to achieve. That must come from central Government.
* Bruce Warnes, operations manager, Sunflowers Day Nurseries and childcare consultancy
