Pre-Budget Report - Education and childcare
Detailing his pre-Budget report, chancellor Gordon Brown announced plans for a big expansion in childcare facilities and more help for parents.
Stakeholder Response: Professional Association of Teachers
Jean Gemmell, general secretary of the Professional Association of Teachers, said: "The government's reported childcare measures are welcome. However, universal entitlement will require significant increases in investment, not least in quality staff and training and in salaries that reflect childcarers’ responsibilities. Increased investment will also be required to alleviate the burden on parents, who currently pay the lion’s share of the costs.
"We would also welcome tax breaks for employer-supported childcare and for some parents who employ nannies. We have been calling for tax credits for parents employing nannies. Many parents look to the flexibility of childcare offered by nannies to enable them to juggle careers and family life but their choices have been limited because not all areas of childcare attract tax credits.
"[We] have long campaigned for the registration of nannies to close a major loophole in the regulatory system. The reported nanny accreditation scheme would be a step in the right direction but wouldn't go far enough. It seems to have been designed primarily to enable parents to qualify for tax credits and tax breaks and not to provide safe, quality childcare to all children. It seems that nannies whose employers don't qualify, or who don't want to apply, for the tax credits wouldn't be covered. Children and their nannies from all income brackets need protection.
"We would still like to see a full national register of all nannies and other childcarers, because we believe that this is the only way to protect children, parents and genuine childcarers. However, these welcome accreditation plans should encourage and enable nannies to have criminal records checks and to seek further training, as well helping many parents to afford home-based childcare.
"We are concerned that there may be a shift of emphasis in early years provision which will move towards education for the very young and away from true childcare provided by people skilled in early childhood development. Childcare and education go hand in hand, but are not the same and we continue to recognise and promote these complementary but distinct professions."
Stakeholder Response: Sector Skills Development Agency
Christopher Duff, chief executive of Skills for Business, said: "For decades now, employers have been saying that the
"The commitments outlined in his pre-Budget report today - including a learning allowance of ten pounds per week for people out of work and on benefit, and the report commissioned on the long-term skills needs of the economy - will help to alleviate this.
"It is vital to make sure that increasing the skills of the workforce results in increased productivity – and the only way to do this is to make sure employers are in the driving seat in the demand, development and delivery of skills.
"Skills are crucial to business success, and Skills for Business, consisting of the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) and a network of employer-led sector skills councils, has been charged with a major new role in the delivery of the government’s skills strategy.
"By spearheading an employer-led approach, we will be creating the education and training system the
"The proposals produced by the working group on 14-19 reform, chaired by Mike Tomlinson, provide an opportunity for sector skills councils to influence both academic and vocational pathways so the education system meets employers needs more.
"Sector skills agreements, which will be drawn up by every Sector Skills Council, will create a ‘compact’ between organisations which supply education and training and those that demand it.
"We welcome the commitment demonstrated by the chancellor and Her Majesty’s Treasury today, and look forward to helping ensure that the
Stakeholder Response: Association of Teachers and Lecturers
Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: "ATL welcomes the increase in parents’ access to childcare, but there must be a guarantee of real quality.
"Whether in private or maintained nurseries, the new deal will be a poor bargain unless staff are properly trained and paid on nationally agreed scales, in accordance with their qualifications. Quality does not come on the cheap.
"Giving workers time off for training seems promising, but concerns still remain about the detail. It’s not going to be enough to give time off for training if the time is unpaid – a better trained worker will deserve better pay at the end of it."
Stakeholder Response: National Union of Teachers
Steve Sinnott, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "The government’s strategy is a significant contribution to ensuring that all youngsters get the best start in life and aim which is at the heart of the u
"The government’s decision to extend the provision of both high quality child care and the hours of nursery education for three and four year olds is welcomed by the u
"The u
"If this strategy is to succeed and offer the greatest opportunities to the most needy, it is essential that qualified teachers are at the heart of all educational provision. I hope that when we see the detail of the strategy that is the case."
Stakeholder Response: Institute of Directors
Miles Templeman, director general of the IoD, said: "We welcome the government's emphasis on skills. The roll out of employer training pilots across the country should help to improve basic skills. This is crucial for British business success.
"We are very concerned, however, that the chancellor's
"The tax burden is already increasing too quickly. Today's pre-Budget report only adds to our concerns."
Stakeholder Response: Secondary Heads Association
Dr John Dunford, SHA general secretary, said: "The increase in school spending is at its highest, at 6.9 per cent, in 2005/06. This represents good news for schools.
"During this year, there will be major pressures on school budgets, including workforce reform, personalised learning and changes in teachers’ pay.
"It is therefore imperative that all this funding reaches schools. Local authorities must passport all the money to schools if heads are to have the funding tools to do the educational job that is expected of them."
Stakeholder Response: Institute of Education
Peter Moss, professor of early childhood provision at the
"Is the plan simply to bolt on something called childcare to an unchanging school – or to start the long process of rethinking the school as a holistic service, a children’s centre for over fives?
"Where is the integrative concept that can support a holistic approach to work with children, families and communities? Does this require rethinking and restructuring the school-based workforce?
"In short, is the extended school just an opportunistic means to the narrow end of childcare or the first step in a renewed ideal of ‘education in its broadest sense’?"
Stakeholder Response: Institute of Electrical Engineers
Professor Andy Hopper, professor of computer technology at the
"I am glad the government has got rid of one road block and look forward to further progress being made to make wealth creation in the academic sector, through spin-outs and other activities, an attractive proposition."
Stakeholder Response: 4Children
Anne Longfield, 4Children's chief executive, said: "Today marks a defining moment in this country’s attitude to supporting children and families.
"Rather than denying children opportunities to lead flourishing childhoods, and leaving parents to juggle the pressures of work and family life alone, this strategy demonstrates the government’s commitment to helping families help themselves.
"We greatly welcome the ambition embodied in this plan, but delivering a programme of this size will not be without its challenges. It will be essential that the programme ensures major investment – the scale of developments will require significant investment over many years to achieve. Today’s announcements provide a substantial downpayment which will need to be built upon year on year. The expansion of children’s centres will bring crucial support for pre-school children in every area.
"4Children estimates that investment in the region of £1.4 billion per year over six years is needed to provide the extended schools part of this commitment alone. If the government achieves its target of 50 per cent of schools to offer this service by 2008, through existing investment, then an extra £1.7 billion will be needed in each of the three years up to 2010 to achieve services within every community.
"More support for parents to pay for childcare - the lack of affordability of childcare has been a major problem for many parents. Currently parents foot the bill in the
"Support for the workforce – a major increase in trained and qualified childcare workers will be needed, more than doubling the current numbers. The issues of poor pay for childcare workers also needs to be tackled as a priority.A strong lead with investment and support from government will continue to be crucial.
"Quality – getting quality right from the start is key – ensuring that childcare centres are of the highest quality will be crucial in gaining the confidence of parents. Ensuring that extended schools are inspirational places for children to play and learn with friends and that provision for younger children is of the highest quality will be essential.
"The involvement of key players – local authorities, schools, employers and the new Children’s Trusts to ensure developments are well planned for and supported locally.
"Government has recognised that investment in childcare now will pay dividends in future years as savings are secured on benefits, crime and under employment. Developing a national infrastructure of childcare in or around schools has the potential to transform our communities – putting children and families first – offering many of them the support that they so badly need.
"In 10 years time, the lives of children and families in this country could be radically different."
Stakeholder Response: Learning and Skills Council
Hugh Milward of the Learning and Skills Council said: "We are delighted that the chancellor has put the LSC at the heart of improving the skills of all young people and adults, which will have a significant impact on the productivity of the nation.
"We are particularly delighted with the resounding endorsement from the chancellor of our work to date on employer training pilots. Today Gordon Brown has announced that he wants to build on the ground-breaking work of our employer training pilots and introduce a national employer training programme, available to employers across the country, by investing a further £197 million over 2006/07 and 2007/08 to fund the programme."
Stakeholder Response: The Prince's Trust
A spokesman for the Prince's Trust said: "The Prince’s Trust is pleased to see the emphasis in the Pre-Budget Report on skills and training for
"The Trust particularly welcomes the forthcoming implementation of the New Deal for Skills, Skills Coaches and the new learning allowance. These positive developments will enable young people on benefits to undertake training to improve their skills and boost their employability. For many, low skilled, low paid jobs are their only option, leaving them financially better off remaining on benefits. Enhanced opportunities for skills training would provide incentives for young people to improve their skills and enable them to escape the benefits trap.
"Forty six per cent of unemployed socially excluded young people told us in our research Reaching the Hardest to Reach that a lack of qualifications prevented them from achieving their goals. Through its skills development programmes such as Team, The Prince’s Trust helps young people develop their confidence, motivation and team-working skills whilst gaining nationally recognised qualifications. The Trust’s pilot initiatives such as ‘Get Into…’ and themed Teams are linked to specific industries with skills shortages such as construction and catering, providing opportunities for young people to gain relevant experience and qualifications in order to access good quality employment opportunities. The new policies outlined in the Pre-Budget Report are a step in the right direction to giving more young people a real chance to move off benefits and into education, employment and training."
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