Nursery World - MPs blame Government's 30-hour childcare policy for 'entrenching inequality'

The Government should review 30 hour childcare to address the ‘perverse consequences’ that are leading to a growing gap between disadvantaged children and their peers, MPs have said.

A damning report from the Education Select Committee accuses the Government of a confused approach to early years education and says that measures such as the 30 hours childcare commitment appear to be entrenching disadvantage.

MPs had heard from those giving evidence that 30 hour childcare was ‘a car crash’, and called the Government for action in three key areas to help tackle the social injustices which currently exist in early years education and childcare. They are:

Ofsted inspections of children’s centres should also be reinstated.

Robert Halfon MP, chair of the Education Committee, said, ‘Tackling social injustice is the central objective of the Education Committee. Despite the good intentions and efforts made by the Government, there remain significant social injustices in children’s life chances in England which early years childcare and education is failing to address.'

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