Early Education and Childcare Coalition

Community Union is proud to form part of the new Early Education and Childcare Coalition (EECC) which calls on the government and all political parties to reform early years education in England.

The coalition, which includes more than 30 leading organisations in the sector, is set to launch formally on September 7th. The EECC will work together on the key mission of establishing an early education and childcare system that works for all children and parents as well as the wider economy. Key issues under the coalition’s consideration include the quality and affordability of provision available to families in all communities; pay and conditions for Early Years workforce; and wider concerns around government funding for the sector.

Helen Osgood, National Officer for Education and Early Years at Community Union, said:

“As the union for early years professionals, Community is proud to form part of this important new coalition pushing for reform of a sector which has long been undervalued by the government.

“We look forward to working closely with partners in the coalition and continuing to campaign on behalf of our members in the sector, building on the landmark Early Years Charter which we launched earlier this summer.”

Speaking on behalf of the Coalition, Sarah Ronan, Acting Director of the EECC, said:

“The current system is not working for any of us…the skyrocketing fees that parents are forced to pay have been well-documented, but this isn’t just about affordability; it’s about availability, equal access and quality experiences for children and the people that educate them.

“It’s about the poorest children being locked out of essential high-quality early education and care and a workforce that is underpaid and undervalued. As the recent report from the Education Select Committee highlighted, the Government’s plans for expansion will do little to fix any of that.”

Community Union is at the heart of early years reform ensuring we deliver real and meaningful change for our members and the young people they look after. If you believe our early years sector deserves better, then support Community Union’s Early Years Charter today.