Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Government's planned expansion of subsidised childcare announced in March 2023, what estimate she has made of the additional number of staff required as a result of that expansion by (a) April 2024, (b) September 2024 and (c) September 2025.

The department knows that to deliver the expanded early years entitlements, the sector will require additional staff. The phased implementation of the free hours offers will allow the market to develop the necessary capacity. The department continues to monitor sufficiency of childcare provision, including recruitment challenges, through our regular conversations with local authorities, and we are implementing a range of interventions to support the increase required.

In early 2024 we will launch a new, national, multi-channel broadcast recruitment campaign to boost interest in the sector and support the recruitment of talented staff. Alongside this, the department will consider how to introduce new accelerated apprenticeship and degree apprenticeship routes so everyone from junior staff to senior leaders can easily move into a career in the sector.

The department is also committed to delivering flexibility for providers to help them meet the ambition of the Spring Budget investment and has carried out a consultation on a package of possible flexibilities that could be introduced to the early years foundation stage framework.