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Childcare Bill

In speaking to the amendment standing in my name, Amendment No. 73A, I echo what has been said previously in this group of amendments about the importance of excellent training for the people working with our young children if they are to receive the quality of experience that we, as good parents, would wish them to have. My amendment would give the Secretary of State explicit power to regulate for accredited in-service training. The purpose of the amendment is to permit the introduction to early years settings of INSET days—I believe that the acronym stands for ““in service education and training””—such as occur in schools, the so-called ““Baker”” days. Early years settings—nurseries, for instance—would be required to close for a few days each year for the purpose of staff training and development. They might be further obliged to close two hours early once a fortnight for similar purposes. Given the concerns on the variability in the quality of childcare, I hope that the Minister and the Committee will be encouraged to take the opportunity of this Bill to ensure improvement in the consistency of quality of care. I will not labour my concerns in this area again, but I greatly welcome the responses I have had from the noble Baroness, Lady Crawley, and the Minister. To care for our children, as a good parent might, early years’ workers require ample understanding of the principles behind their practice, and an opportunity to reflect on their work with colleagues and senior practitioners. However, there are great challenges to that. There is a lack of qualification generally and qualified leaders in particular. There is a high turnover of staff in some settings and a shortage of time for staff to meet, learn and reflect. That is particularly difficult when staff work shifts. It is exacerbated by pressures on settings arising from low occupancy rates and rising salaries. It can seem too costly to employers to pay for staff time when not working directly with children or to invest in training. Good supervision must also be under pressure in such circumstances. In-service education and training would offer a resolution to some of these challenges. The research suggests that supporting staff well reduces turnover, as the noble Baroness, Lady Walmsley, said. The route to qualification would be enhanced by making it mandatory for early years’ workers to have paid time together without the children. Further, it would demonstrate that we value them and their expertise. INSET days and twilight closures would help to inspire young care workers in their work, many of whom have not had successful school careers. This is the opportunity to enthuse them to learn; and to benefit the workforce by retaining them and allowing them to develop into the expert experienced practitioners that we so dearly need. By making the INSET days and twilight closures mandatory, all settings would be put on an equal footing. Providers would not need to feel concerned at losing out to their competitors. Staff would develop their sense of themselves as a strong team. Research from the United States suggests that good relationships between staff are reflected in good relationships with the children—as one would expect. I refer to accredited training. Sure Start has recently produced a pack on personal, social and emotional development, training materials, birth to five. This would make an excellent basis for INSET days. I hope that there could be sufficient flexibility to consider consultancy support for staff work discussion groups to be employed during the twilight hours’ closures. That is the kind of support offered to staff in good children’s homes, in some schools, including Westminster School, the public school lying close to your Lordships’ House. Yesterday, the Ofsted inspector responsible for early years’ inspection spoke to a meeting of parliamentarians. I paraphrase what he said. He asked why should the graduates who enter our schools to teach benefit from the additional support of INSET days, while early years’ educators, for the most part are poorly trained, poorly educated and poorly paid and receive no such support? I hope that the Minister will agree to consider introducing these mandatory INSET days and twilight closures for early years’ day-care provision. I look forward to his response.