Early years sector ‘systemically underfunded’, study finds

Almost half of childcare providers are receiving less funding then they were five years ago, with the sector “systemically underfunded’, a study has found. Research agency Ceeda looked at rates handed by English councils to providers of 30 hours funded childcare places for three- and four-year-olds, and found that 44 per cent are received less in real terms in 2017/18 than in 2013/14. The area with the biggest decreases is the Isles of Scilly, where there has been a 17 per cent cut in the funding rate. Taking into account inflation providers on the islands received £4.58 per hour for each child in 2017/18, compared with £5.55 in 2013/14. Read more.