Early years funding will not be ring-fenced, only the 'most' disadvantaged children will receive two-year-old funding, capital projects are all being suspended, and although Sure Start 'cash' is safeguarded, there will be no ring-fencing of this either. There is to be an early intervention grant, but for 0-19s and once again not ring-fenced.
What does all of this mean for young children? If no money is safeguarded for the early years, will it all be used up in schools, and so will all the work on early intervention over the past ten years be lost?
Local authorities have been told to look at more 'place-based' budgets. How exactly does this Government think a coherent approach to early years will be applied consistently across all parts of the country if budgets are to be focused on place?
The issue with such disparity is that, while in one or two local authorities there may be a real commitment the whole way up the chain of command to the very top of the council to early years services, the chances are that in neighbouring boroughs the approach to early years will be very different. The resulting mish-mash of services leaves no-one a winner, with everyone who provides early years services vying for ever-reduced funds.
I am worried that the impact upon early years for the next five to ten years will be a massive slowing down of progress and a contraction of services for the neediest children, to the extent that more children may be 'at risk', while the many inroads that have been achieved in developing a high-quality workforce will be lost.
Staff who know and understand young children's development are at the very core of what early intervention has to offer. Imposing massive budgets cuts will demoralise them. The knock-on effect will be felt by young children.
At what point are we going to ask what is actually best for these children? We understand that this Government has some tough decisions to make, and at LEYF we are ready to take on the challenge. But for goodness sake, be realistic.
- Karen Walker, head of children's services, London Early Years Foundation.
