I'd like to share some of my own experiences as a mum of three who had voluntary roles within the sector as a playgroup committee secretary and fundraiser to highlight why access to childcare is so important for working parents.

After my first child was born—and this goes back a few years, when times were easier—I went back to my office job, but most of my wages went on nursery fees. When I had two children following maternity leave, I had to give up my office job as childcare was too expensive, and went to work in a shop in the evening when my husband came home from work. I also then worked in a pub and did an Avon round for a number of years. When I had my third child, I was fortunate that it was the pre-universal credit era, pre cuts to social security, and we still had child and working tax credit, which meant that, with the top-ups of £80 extra per week to my husband's wages, I could afford to have some time at home with my young children for a short while, until I started to go back into part time and then full-time work, sometimes, though, having to take my youngest child with me.

Times were tough then, but I was fortunate, because under universal credit, cuts to social security benefits and the rising cost of living, that option is no longer there for so many families. For most people, having children and balancing income is a juggle and a struggle, as most families rely on two wages. Childcare is too expensive, and grandparents, who may have helped at one time, may be working themselves, as my mum was, or live too far away. Once the children reached three and a half and four years of age and had free paid-for childcare at playgroup or school nursery, it was such a relief—a milestone for me to go back to work.

Some might say we shouldn't have children if we can't afford them, but I don't think I've ever been able to afford my children and I am proud of each one of them and what they have achieved, giving back to society. And it's no wonder that now there is a concerning fall in birth rates, which, if we don't resolve, will cause issues in years to come, with an ageing population and nobody to pay taxes or care for them. It's down to financial hardship, insecurity and general anxiety about the future. The birth rate rose during the last UK Labour Government, thanks to free nursery education, childcare, tax credits, and 3,500 Sure Start children's centres. The birth rate began to plunge again in 2012, which was when draconian austerity cuts kicked in, targeted at children. The number of babies born in 2019 was down a startling 12.2 per cent on 2012, with a further 4 per cent reduction over the last two years. Without a secure home and certainty of food on the table, people dare not have babies. 

When I was on the playgroup committee, we had to fundraise, as the amount parents paid and funding from Government for free childcare wasn't enough to cover the wages, the hire of the facilities, the insurance, the materials. And just like primary schools, they also have to adhere to the foundation phase curriculum and inspections. Special learning materials and toys have to bought, varied healthy snacks have to be provided—all at an added cost.

Like schools, playgroups are also inspected by Estyn. Playgroup supervisors are often paid minimum wage for a service that now, due to curriculums and inspections, requires special skills and training. I remember sometimes the playgroup supervisors would go without being paid for a little while until the money kicked in, and I remember sometimes we used to just try and cover their wages as well, ourselves personally. Their role now must involve planning, observation and assessments, and they must adhere to a child's individual needs to make sure they reach their full potential, which is right, but they should be paid for it. All this must be down on paper for inspection and reports have to be written.

With schools now required by law to recruit staff to adhere to the 1:8 ratio, many qualified supervisors are leaving playgroups to move into schools where the pay and working conditions are so much better. The retention of suitably qualified staff is therefore now becoming a big problem, simply down to the fact that playgroups cannot afford to give their staff the remuneration they deserve. Playgroups are collapsing because staff can no longer afford to work for such low wages for the responsibility they have. We need to be better at recognising the important work these staff members do.

I have seen documents and strategies stating that young children are starting school nursery with poor communication skills, and how important it is for them to attend playgroups, and also how important it is for education through the foundation phase to start as early as possible at even two and a half years of age, but there is no finance to support it.

Comments are made by schools about how much easier it is for post-playgroup children and teachers as they have already been taught to put away, self-select, and shown how to do all these things. They are so much more prepared for school, which in turn assists teachers in progressing with the foundation phase.