Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Apprenticeships: Early Years Workforce

Monday 31 January 2022 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial Department engaged with early years employers to design three high-quality apprenticeships.
  • Since 2018-19, more than 26,000 starts on early years apprenticeships have been recorded.
  • Investment of 153 million in training early years staff to support learning and development is underway.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Andrea Leadsom Con
Education
Context

The question arises from a discussion about developing career pathways in early childhood education.

Question

What plans does he have to develop apprenticeship routes for the early years workforce?

Answer from Alex Burghart

My Department has engaged with early years employers to design three high-quality apprenticeships: early years educator, practitioner and lead practitioner. Since 2018-19, there have been more than 26,000 starts on early years apprenticeships. Students can also study a T-level, a new gold-standard technical qualification in education and childcare.

Answered
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Q2 Andrea Leadsom Con
Children & Families
Context

Following up on the initial question about apprenticeships, the MP explores how creating a diverse skill set in early years staff could improve continuity of care.

Question

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his commitment to making sure that every baby gets the best start to life. Does he agree that by creating more of a mixed-skill workforce we will be able to provide the continuity of care that every family wants when they have a new baby?

Answer from Alex Burghart

I pay tribute to my right hon. Friend's expertise in this area, and I agree with her. We are investing £153 million in training early years staff to support learning and development, and £300 million to transform Start4Life services, including funding for trials of an innovative workforce.

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