Written evidence submitted by Professor Helen Penn and Professor Eva Lloyd, International Centre for the Study of the Mixed Economy of Childcare, ICMEC, University of East London (CEY1305)

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Penn, H. and Lloyd-Reichling, E. 2023. Written evidence submitted by Professor Helen Penn and Professor Eva Lloyd, International Centre for the Study of the Mixed Economy of Childcare, ICMEC, University of East London (CEY1305). House of Commons Education Committee.
AuthorsPenn, H. and Lloyd-Reichling, E.
Abstract

We welcome the opportunity to submit evidence to the Education Select Committee Inquiry into Childcare and the Early Years. We represent the International Centre for the Study of the Mixed Economy of Childcare, ICMEC (https://www.uel.ac.uk/our-research/research-school-education-communi...) at the University of East London.

ICMEC is a multi-disciplinary research centre established in 2007 which focuses on policy research on accessibility, affordability, quality and sustainability of early childhood education and care systems in a marketised childcare economy. We have been concerned about the way in which the childcare market affects the life chances, development and economic wellbeing of young children living in families experiencing disadvantage.

We consider the childcare market has proved to be profoundly inequitable, and we have detailed this in publications and seminars. We have explored ways in which the market could be better regulated and changed to promote more equitable services, by critiquing the existing system and exploring alternative models (Lloyd and Penn, 2012; Lloyd, 2019).

The terms of reference in the Education Select Committee Inquiry’s Call for Evidence invites respondents to suggest solutions to a range of challenges and problems affecting the current childcare and early years system in England. We would argue that these are not separate issues, but they are essentially linked within a ‘…dysfunctional market failing those that need it most’ (Archer and Oppenheim, 2021, p. 3). Compared to the rest of Europe, England is an outlier in terms of the disorganisation and paucity of the childcare and early years services available to young children (European Commission/EECEA/Eurydice, 2019, OECD 2019).

Our argument is that the childcare market has failed so badly that it can no longer be tinkered with or adjusted but needs fundamental reform. Based on the evidence, we argue for a coherent publicly managed system, in which all children aged 1 to 5 should be entitled to a place, following on from adequately funded maternity and paternity leave periods covering their first year of life (Lloyd, 2020).

Year2023
PublisherHouse of Commons Education Committee
Web address (URL)https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmeduc/969/report.html#footnote-133-backlink
https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/116366/html/
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Online26 Jul 2023
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Deposited03 Apr 2025
Copyright holder© Parliamentary Copyright
Copyright informationParliament encourages you to use material made available by the House of Commons or the House of Lords in which copyright or database right subsists. Use of Parliamentary material is governed by the terms of the Open Parliament Licence. More information can be found at this link: https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/
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Additional oral evidence can be found at this link: https://committees.parliament.uk/event/17967/formal-meeting-oral-evi...

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