Transforming Early Education and Childcare in Wales
Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in Wales is at a crossroads. The existing system is widely considered disjointed and overly complex, making it difficult to navigate for children, parents and providers. Recent childcare expansion in England has led to mounting public pressure for Wales to follow suit. But rather than blindly copying what has been done – arguably not very well – elsewhere, policymakers in Wales need to carefully consider what ECEC in Wales should achieve, what elements of our current approach are conducive to this, and what needs to change for an ECEC system that truly delivers for Wales.
To help progress this discussion, we undertook quantitative and qualitative research with over 780 parents in Wales, a comprehensive literature review of recent proposals for ECEC reform, interviews with expert stakeholders working on childcare and early years, poverty and family support within local authorities, the third sector, the early years sector and a substantial review of academic and other studies.
This new report recommends that the next Welsh Government should invest in building a flexible, streamlined system that would reduce poverty, promote child development, and boost employment.
Childcare costs in Wales are now the highest in the UK, following the rollout of a new offer in England for working parents. The current system is seen by parents as disjointed, complicated, and difficult to access, and funded childcare for children under three and families on the lowest incomes is very limited.
The report makes clear that the solution is not for Wales to copy what has been done in England – both current systems have significant shortcomings. A Welsh solution is needed for families and the early years workforce to get what they deserve – high-quality, sustainable, and flexible childcare provision, with fair pay and working conditions for staff.
The report, based on research with over 780 parents in Wales and expert stakeholders working on childcare, provides a comprehensive analysis of what a better system in Wales would look like. The first step is to target investment where it will make the biggest impact. WEN Wales’ research shows that those who would benefit most from affordable, high-quality provision are families on low incomes. Introducing a universal element of 15 hours a week at minimum, with means-tested additional support of up to 35 hours per week based on household income, could help lift these families out of poverty and give disadvantaged children a better start in life.
A key aspect of the report’s recommendation is that the universal element would apply to all children, whether their parents are in work or not. Lack of affordable and accessible childcare disproportionately affects women, as they shoulder an unequal share of childcare. On average, women in the UK spend 45 hours per week looking after a child – twice as many as men. Many parents expressed that this limits their employment opportunities. A parent described skipping meals regularly because they have so little income, after being forced to leave work to take care of their child.
A lack of flexibility in current provision also limits parents’ employment opportunities, and makes it difficult for some families to access their entitlements. More support is needed for providers to deliver childcare flexibly, in a way that enables parents to thrive in their working lives and children to flourish.WEN Wales’ report recommends providing integrated services to support families in the round – with a single point of contact, co-located, and within reach of disadvantaged communities.
Providers should be paid in line with the cost of actual delivery, with suitable funding for provision in identified underserved areas – often rural or deprived – and for children who are disabled or have additional needs.
Read the full report and executive summary below.
Transforming Early Education and Childcare in Wales – Full Report