Investing in the Early Years: priorities and challenges

The UK government’s latest policy on childcare will see more parents offered free access to provision from April 2024 with the intention of helping them stay in work (HM Treasury 2023). However, the increasing demand for affordable childcare services is happening in an evolving socio-economic landscape marked by a cost of living crisis and rising levels of child poverty. Against this backdrop, panel speakers will discuss what the priorities should be if we are to build a sustainable and high quality early childhood care and education sector that ensures that early years provision is accessible, affordable and benefits all young children, enabling them to flourish.

Speakers
Peter Moss, Thomas Coram Research Unit, UCL
Sarah Klaus,  Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development
Christine Parker, Researcher and Writer in Early Childhood
Neil Leitch, CEO, Early Years Alliance