Wera Hobhouse MP: The best investment we can make is in education 

‘It’s absurd that some parents are having to turn to credit cards or borrow money to afford nursery costs.’

Over the past month, children and teachers across the country have returned to school after the sunny summer holidays. But while many are looking forward to getting back into the classroom, there are bound to be some challenges this school year. In fact, years of Conservative chaos have left us with several pressure points that demand our urgent attention. From a child’s first steps to their GCSEs and beyond, we need to address the gaps in every corner of our education system. 

We must start at the very beginning and focus on repairing early years education – the foundation of a child’s personal and educational development. Across the country, and in my own constituency of Bath, nursery places are few and far between. I have heard from local practitioners that parents are securing spots for their children before they are even born. This lack of early years provision is in part due to considerable underinvestment by the Conservatives, who spent far too much of their time in office cutting corners at children’s expense, rather than funding their futures. This neglect has led to some nurseries being forced to shut their doors because they can’t afford to pay for soaring running costs and many parents struggling to cover existing fees for childcare.

It’s absurd that some parents are having to turn to credit cards or borrow money to afford nursery costs. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Improving our education system is one of the best investments we can possibly make. That’s why we Liberal Democrats are focused on properly addressing the dire underfunding of early years provision. We have consistently called for a review of the rates paid to providers to make sure they cover the actual costs of delivering high-quality childcare and early years education. Addressing these costs is not only vital for giving children the best start in life, but it would also allow many parents to return to work, if they wish. Afterall, a lack of access to affordable childcare is a key driver of the gender pay gap.

A light was shone on this pressing issue recently, following the launch of the Missing Mothers report. It was revealed that women in their thirties are the biggest single group exiting teaching, primarily because of difficulties with workload, balancing teaching with family commitments and maternity pay. As a former teacher and a proud mother of four, I understand what a tough decision this can be to take. Being a mum should not be a barrier to pursuing other passions in life. That’s why it’s essential that we take another look at how we approach childcare in the UK, to make sure it works for both children and their parents. 

But it’s not just inadequate childcare provision that is to blame for the dwindling number of teachers in our schools. There is no shying away from the fact that teacher recruitment and retention is in crisis. Improving the profession’s appeal to encourage current staff to continue offering their talent to teaching, and prospective staff to pursue this rewarding career, is critical. From fair pay to professional development opportunities, we Liberal Democrats have proposed a number of policies to tackle the recruitment and retention crisis, including a teacher workforce strategy. We must also reform the School Teachers’ Review Body to make it properly independent from the government so that it can recommend fully-funded, fair pay rises for teachers each year.

As teachers are being pulled in many different directions – primarily a result of understaffing and the crisis in recruitment – it’s a constant worry that important things may slip through the cracks. One aspect currently lacking adequate resources is support for children’s mental health in schools. In fact, the number of children receiving treatment for eating disorders in the past school year has doubled in recent years. To ensure all children have someone they can turn to for help, we Liberal Democrats are proposing that there should be a dedicated, qualified mental health professional in every primary and secondary school. That way, overworked teachers will no longer have to be the only port of call for a child in their time of need, and children will have more effective avenues for support. 

There is so much we stand to gain from investing in our education system – and far too much to lose if we continue leaving educators underfunded and overstretched. We cannot just plug the gaps in the sector. From fixing the crisis in teacher recruitment to improving funding for early years education, we have to address these issues head-on.