There is a feeling that the early years is at a crossroads at the moment. The outcome of the government cross-cutting spending review is due next month, which could have major repercussions for the funding of early years partnerships and the whole National Childcare Strategy. The upheaval of the Ofsted takeover of childcare inspections continues, and the delays with the Criminal Records Bureau are adding to the existing recruitment crisis in some parts of the country. The future of early years training is also in the balance, as our Special Report this week shows ('In a spin', pages 10-11). The National Training Organisation has been disbanded and funding for its key functions to continue from the CACHE offices runs out in September. Time, too, is running out for the sector to decide what should happen next, with the early years looking ill-placed to be awarded its own employer-led Sector Skills Council, and opinions divided on which other organisation would be a suitable SSC partner.
There is a feeling that the early years is at a crossroads at the moment. The outcome of the government cross-cutting spending review is due next month, which could have major repercussions for the funding of early years partnerships and the whole National Childcare Strategy. The upheaval of the Ofsted takeover of childcare inspections continues, and the delays with the Criminal Records Bureau are adding to the existing recruitment crisis in some parts of the country.
The future of early years training is also in the balance, as our Special Report this week shows ('In a spin', pages 10-11). The National Training Organisation has been disbanded and funding for its key functions to continue from the CACHE offices runs out in September. Time, too, is running out for the sector to decide what should happen next, with the early years looking ill-placed to be awarded its own employer-led Sector Skills Council, and opinions divided on which other organisation would be a suitable SSC partner.
With so many early years representative bodies and no mechanism for a collective decision on how to go forward, it's a worrying prospect that the early years will be left floundering on this vital move.
