Nursery World - Analysis: Political parties tell us their childcare priorities

With just one week to go before the General Election, we assess the mood of the early years sector and ask the three main political parties to explain their policies

The general mood of the early years sector could be summed up in the phrase 'cautiously optimistic'. While there is recognition of the aspirations of Labour initiatives, there is also a clear-sighted perspective on where they are failing.

For Linda Baston-Pitt, proprietor of the Old Schoolhouse Day Nursery in Stetchworth, Cambridgeshire, the burning issue is how to achieve sustainability for businesses.

'We've seen the launch of some quite radical, forward-thinking initiatives, but we are still asking how they can be properly backed by funding,' she says. 'Graduate leadership is a case in point, and this aspiration needs more financial backing to make it concrete.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included