Nursery World - Editor’s view - Putting in the hours

Labour’s proposed childcare revolution tackles some persistent problems, but it must be able to put its money where its mouth is

Brexit was obviously a dominant theme at last week’s Labour Party conference in Liverpool, but the package of proposals on childcare funding, hours and workforce announced in Jeremy Corbyn’s speech were also a major talking point.

An eye-catching – and costly at about £5bn extra a year – set of measures includes offering 30 free hours to all two-, three- and four-year-olds, a hefty hike in hourly funding for the free entitlement to £7.35, a national pay scale for early years staff, a move to a graduate-led workforce, and a shift to a minimum Level 3 qualification (see our story on pages 10-11).

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