Nursery World - PVI providers fear they've lost control of their businesses, hears conference

Fears about providing high-quality early education and care against a backdrop of underfunding were raised by delegates at NDNA’s annual conference last week.

Speaking to NDNA’s panel of experts at Coventry Arena on Friday (7 June), Sarah Carr, group director of the Ashbridge School and Nursery Group, raised the issue of how providers are supposed to drive quality when they are not in control of setting their fees.

She said, ‘Investment has got to a level now, with 30 hours of funding rolling out to nine-month-olds, that what the government actually has in place now is a price cap on the sector.

‘We all know that the qualifications and the experiences of staff is the absolute key to making a difference. But we are being squeezed more and more, and the Government probably controls 60 or 70 percent of our income now.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included