Nursery World - Editor’s view - Dampening expectations

Much like the weather at the moment, the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement was damp and disappointing for those involved in education, childcare and the welfare of families and young children.

Despite a few flurries of anticipation that some extra funding for the early years sector might be conjured up by Philip Hammond, nothing seemed to be there, leading childcare organisations to reinforce warnings about the prospects for 30 hours and settings’ sustainability.

Instead, he told Parliament that the National Living Wage would rise to £7.50 an hour from April 2017. Now this is good news for low-paid, well-deserving nursery staff, of course, but yet another cost pressure for their employers, casting even more doubt on the viability of the funding rates for the free entitlement. An improved hourly rate will mean nothing if your job disappears.

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