FSFRebecca Posted September 7, 2017 Posted September 7, 2017 You will remember back in June that we announced our involvement with the Childcare and Early Education APPG - if you missed it, you can read all about it here: All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) The first meeting was held yesterday and I was proud to attend representing the FSF. Here is the press release telling you all about it! Tulip Siddiq to lead new cross-party childcare and early education group Tulip Siddiq, the Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn and former Shadow Early Years Minister, has been confirmed as Chair of the Childcare and Early Education All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG). Ms Siddiq is an influential and experienced voice in Parliament on early years issues, and has previously challenged the government over early years funding. With the national roll-out of the government’s flagship 30-hours childcare policy beginning last week, and on-going issues surrounding the Childcare Service, the establishment of the new APPG indicates that parliamentarians of all parties are paying close attention to the delivery of early years policy on the ground. Childcare providers across the country have challenged the government on its funding of the 30-hours policy, stating that they will be paid less per hour than the cost of providing the care. An APPG is a cross-party group of MPs and Peers who join together to further a particular topic or policy area. When run effectively, APPGs can have a significant influence on government decisions and priorities. As well as challenging the government on its 30-hours childcare policy, the APPG for Childcare and Early Education is also expected to focus on support for parents, workforce issues, raising standards in care, and the financial sustainability of the sector. The APPG is being sponsored by the National Day Nurseries Association, CACHE, The Foundation Stage Forum, Tops Day Nurseries and the Pre-school Learning Alliance. Commenting on the announcement, Tulip Siddiq MP said: “I am delighted to be Chair of the new Childcare and Early Education APPG. This is a sector that I feel extremely passionate about, and I am pleased to be able to contribute to the on-going debate in a constructive way. With a young family myself, I understand the importance of affordable, high quality childcare and nursery provision, and how crucial it is to working families across the country. There is much for the APPG to be working on and myself and the officers of the group are united about ensuring childcare and early education works best for children and families across the country.” A statement from the five sponsors of the APPG said: “Tulip is an excellent advocate for the sector and she will be a strong Chair of this APPG. We are pleased to see the government putting more focus into childcare and early education, but there are serious concerns across the sector about the implementation of these policies. We want this APPG to be a positive group to support parliamentarians and the sector to work constructively with ministers to improve and strengthen the provision of childcare and early education for millions of children across the country. We look forward to working with Tulip and other officers of the APPG to achieve this.” Ms Siddiq and other MPs were formally elected to their role. The following MPs were elected as officers of the group: • Ruth George, Labour MP for High Peak • Julian Sturdy, Conservative MP for York Outer • Neil Gray, SNP MP for Airdrie and Shotts • Conor McGinn, Labour MP for St Helens North • Yasmin Qureshi, Labour MP for Bolton South East ................................................................................................................................................................. This is a tremendously exciting project for FSF to be involved with. Please feel free to comment below! 1
FSFRebecca Posted September 7, 2017 Author Posted September 7, 2017 The Ministers are keen to have hard facts to take to the different departments involved in early years (for example DfE or the Treasury). There is a lot of anecdotal talk regarding the various issues in early years but it is hard for MPs to raise questions in the House of Commons if they don't have actual solid 'evidence' to take forward. We will be asking for your views and opinions on our APPG threads - we will be asking you about a range of sector issues. The threads will be clearly labelled APPG. If you are happy to be contacted to share your particular story can you make that clear on the thread? As always, everything on the FSF is based on your username and your avatar, no one knows (other than us) who you really are - we will never share your identity, or the identity of your setting, without your permission, this is a promise. If you are happy to be contacted. I, or my colleague Sue, will send you a private message and ask for your permission to share your contact details and the particular piece of information you have put on the forum. We will then share it with the APPG MPs. It will relate only to that piece of information, not any other things you have contributed. Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions ::1a
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