Pat Regan: Robert Goodwill (the man who would not listen to childcare providers) sacked

Robert Goodwill (the Tory minister who would not listen to desperate UK childcare providers) has finally been sacked.

Minister of State for Children and Families, Robert Goodwill has been removed from his government position after only seven months in the job. His dismissive actions and lack of help for UK providers have led to deep resentment and mistrust.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/childrens-minister-robert-goodwill-sacked/

Goodwill's legacy of apathy and intransigence

Goodwill leaves behind him total and utter devastation in the UK childcare sector. Numerous nurseries have been forced to close their doors for good, while their campaigning for better funding from this unlistening Conservative government fell on deaf ears.

https://www.otsnews.co.uk/uk-government-set-destroy-childcare-sector/

Flawed government policy sees massive closures in the UK

More than 1,000 nurseries and childminders have gone out of business since the Conservative government was elected in 2015 with a promise of 30 hours of free childcare for working parents.

The government Goodwill represents is just paying hollow lip-service to the real problems faced by hard-pressed childcare providers across the UK. It’s a cold-hearted, ‘let them eat cake’, attitude that brings back bad memories of a harsher Tory party, with traditionally little care for the ordinary working people.

Ultimately, families and children will suffer most because if this reckless government continue to kill off all childcare facilities (many have closed their doors since this policy arrived) then there will be no places left to provide any care for our children. This is not just unfair it is totally insane!

Welcome removal of unlistening Goodwill

Nevertheless, surviving UK childcare professionals are hoping that the welcome removal of Goodwill, who is probably a scapegoat for the deeply flawed government childcare policy, will open a doorway into finally being heard and having the essential funding issues properly addressed.

Catherine Regan, owner of Pine Pixies Pre-school in Formby, had previously offered to meet with MPs yet found little enthusiasm in that quarter...

Catherine explained:

“The government are paying providers short. The amount providers are being paid per hour, per child is not enough to deliver high quality sustainable childcare and many settings across the country have already closed their doors. Childcare providers across the country from all types of settings, including nannies and childminders are strongly united in this fight for fairer funding to ensure their sustainability. Providers are refusing to allow the words ‘Free Funding’ on their literature, as it is not free when the very providers delivering this funded childcare are having to subsidise it themselves.”

http://pinepixies.webnode.com//

Left, Bill Esterson MP and Damien Moore MP.

The big question now on all childcare providers' lips is ...

Will this government finally face up to its previous and ongoing errors within the UK Childcare sector and work with the real people on the ground, i.e. the expert providers themselves?

Childcare in the UK and its basic survival is something that affects most of us today. We are all effectively stakeholders in this vital situation.