Priti Patel MP recently visited Little Me Preschool in Silver End to meet Lisa Marshall, the owner of the preschool, to discuss urgent concerns about government funding cuts to early years education and how this affects local childcare provision.
The preschool supports 89 children across its settings—including 41 in Silver End—and is one of many early-year providers warning that the Department for Education’s policy changes are financially unsustainable and will affect the ability to provide families with the preschool provision they want to receive locally.
Mrs Marshall raised significant concerns about government underfunding given that the hourly government rates do not match the actual costs of delivering high-quality early education, particularly due to Labour’s job tax and staffing costs rises, the significant increase in inflation, alongside rising operational costs due to the government policy changes which will further pressure already tight budgets.
Mrs Marshall and Priti also discussed restrictions and additional charges due to the new guidance discouraging nurseries from charging for essential consumables such as meals and materials, removing a vital income stream. They also discussed concerns around recruitment in the early years sector, which is at a crisis point due to low pay and high expectations, and SEND funding, which does not reflect the cost of providing 1:1 support, limiting inclusion and appropriate care.
Priti has raised these concerns directly with the Secretary of State for Education, warning that without urgent reform, many nurseries may be forced to withdraw from providing funded hours—leaving working families without vital childcare support.
The visit included a tour of the setting and a chance to speak with staff about the day-to-day realities of delivering early years education in the current funding climate.
Following the visit, Priti said, ‘Our local early years providers are the backbone of working families, yet they are being asked to do more with less every day. After visiting Little Me Preschool in Silver End, it is clear that unless the Government urgently increases the hourly funding rate, allows fair charging for essential services, and uplifts SEND support, settings like this will be forced to withdraw from offering funded hours. Families will be the ones who pay the price.’
