Agenda item

Report from the Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services.

Recommendations:

1.    That Cabinet approve the implementation of the Rotherham Early Years Education and Childcare Strategy 2024-2027.

Consideration was given to the report which sought approval to implement the Rotherham Early Years Education and Childcare Strategy 2024-2027. The Strategy had been developed to highlight the importance of the early years, the impact of the pandemic, the current position in the Borough, the key priorities and forthcoming changes which would impact the sector. The Strategy set out the expectations for children in the Borough through the vision and identification of key aims.

The government were implementing a significant expansion of early education entitlements which would be rolled out between April 2024 and September 2025 as detailed in paragraph 1.4 of the report. This would enable more children to access a free entitlement but would also require an expansion of the sector.

Development of a Rotherham Early Years Education and Childcare Strategy would support wider awareness raising of the importance of early years on the outcomes for children as well as the current challenges faced by the sector.

The following factors could impact on the Council’s ability to ensure children were able to access their entitlements to ensure a positive impact on outcomes:

• Lack of capacity in the sector to meet the increased entitlements (particularly from September 2024).
• Financial sustainability of day nurseries, pre-schools and childminders was a concern which has been confirmed by the sector. Any loss of provision would increase the capacity gap.
• Lack of availability of suitably qualified early years professionals to support current delivery. The impact would be magnified with the expansion required to meet the new entitlements.

To try and mitigate the above risks, the Council had developed the Strategy aims to ensure that:

• Parents/ carers can access affordable, sufficient, high quality and fully inclusive childcare places that support early learning and working parents/carers.
• Children’s early learning and development is expertly supported by a strong, skilled, and knowledgeable early years and childcare workforce.
• Children who may be at risk of poor outcomes are prioritised for high quality targeted support.
• All children have a positive journey through their early years and are well supported to transition to Foundation 2 (Reception).

An action plan was being developed to support achievement of each of the aims and this would be reported to the Improving Lives Select Commission.

Resolved:

1.    That Cabinet approve the implementation of the Rotherham Early Years Education and Childcare Strategy 2024-2027.