Within its new report into the ongoing impact of Covid-19 on new parents, the Petitions Committee recommends the Government commission such a review, as well as consult with parents on how to ensure childcare provision meets their needs and supports their return to work.
It says the review should include, but not be limited to, future sector funding allocations and be separate from the ongoing Spending Review process. It says the Government should set the terms of reference for the review within two months, with a view to publishing the findings by next summer.
The committee warns that with ongoing uncertainty about future demand for childcare places, there is a ‘real risk’ the pandemic will contribute to an ‘ongoing erosion’ of provision or even act as a ‘tipping point’ and accelerate the trend. It says that long-term, targeted support from the Government will be required to avoid this outcome, which would have ‘serious consequences’ for children’s early education and parents’ workforce participation.
It also states that more could be done to ensure that Government support, especially for parents of children under three, alleviates the pressure of childcare costs for working parents.
The review is just one recommendation outlined in the Petitions Committee’s new report – Impact of Covid-19 on new parents: one year on, published today.
It follows the Committee’s inquiry and resulting report last year into the impact of the pandemic on new parents and is in reaction to inaction from the Government on its previous recommendations.
In July, the Petitions Committee gathered further evidence from campaigners and experts, hearing about the experiences of new parents over the past year and in light of the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. This included a survey of new parents and childcare providers, which received more than 8,700 responses.
Other key recommendations to Government include:
- Extra funding and resources to allow catch-up mental health support for parents impacted by Covid-19 and accelerate planned capacity-building in perinatal mental health services.
- The funding of local authorities so they can arrange in-person visits to new parents by the appropriate authority, voluntary organisation or health visiting staff, by the end of the year.
- To legislate as soon as possible to introduce the planned extension of redundancy protections for new and expectant mothers.
The report has been submitted for consideration and the committee says it expects to receive a ‘prompt’ response from the Government.
'Government plans do not far enough to address immediate needs of new parents'
Chair of the Petitions Committee, Catherine McKinnell MP, said, ‘It is extremely concerning that over a year after the publication of the committee’s first report on this subject, there has been little or no progress on the overwhelming majority of our recommendations.
‘Although the Government’s plans for long-term capacity-building in areas such as perinatal mental health and children’s development in the first 1001 days are positive, these do not go far enough to address the immediate needs of new parents or their children.
‘The Government must now reconsider its response and urgently take action to put in place support.’
The Early Years Alliance, which gave evidence to the inquiry, said the committee was ‘absolutely right’ to call for an independent review into early years funding and affordability at a time when ‘many settings are fighting to remain open’.
Chief executive Neil Leitch said, ‘The pandemic has taken a huge toll on a sector already struggling to remain viable, and clearly, substantial further investment into the early years is needed to ensure that providers can deliver affordable, accessible - and crucially, sustainable - early care and education.
‘Much more must also be done to support the recovery of young children attending early years settings, who have seen their access to vital early education disrupted by the pandemic.’
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), said that the new children and families minister must reconsider the former minister's decision not to carry out a review into the funding system in light of a 'groundswell of evidence' showing the financial difficulties that nurseries continue to face.
- The report is available here
