Nurseries to highlight staffing and budgetary challenges at national conference in Coventry
Early years leaders and nursery practitioners are set to discuss staffing and budgetary challenges following plans to expand funded childcare at a major national conference in Coventry.
The industry is set to have its voice heard by government in the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Conference at Coventry Building Society Arena on Friday 9 June.
Claire Coutinho MP, Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing, is set to address the sector at the annual conference.
The conference comes months after the sector was rocked by Government plans announced in the spring Budget to expand funded childcare entitlement to two-year-olds from April 2024 and to children of nine months old from September 2024.
It will attract hundreds of leaders from across the Early Years and nursery sector, with organisers urging practitioners from across Coventry, Warwickshire, the Midlands and further afield to attend and receive advice and guidance from leading sector professionals.
Delegates will also have the chance to pose questions to Ofsted’s Alex Magloire, deputy director early years regulatory practice and principal officer for early years Wendy Ratcliff.
Purnima Tanuku OBE, Chief Executive of NDNA, said: “The Department for Education has pledged to work with the early years sector to make sure the expansion will work for both parents and providers.
“Key to this will be making sure there are enough qualified practitioners to support children’s learning and development.
“We want to know from the Minister herself what the Government will be doing to support the sector to be able to recruit and retain sufficient staff in time for the first big influx of new children expected from April next year.”
Event organisers are bringing the conference to Coventry, which is in the heart of the country, and the venue’s excellent transport network links to make it easier for practitioners to join these important discussions from across the country.
The NDNA Conference will be hosted by Liz Roberts, former editor-in-chief of Nursery World and feature a keynote talk by author Dr Gervase Phinn, where he will discuss how stories and poems can help to extend children’s thinking, foster new knowledge and validate emotions.
The conference is split into two streams – leadership and practice – providing development opportunities and insights for people working across the sector. An exhibition also runs alongside the conference.
It will also see the NDNA share the latest information about its latest campaign First Five Years Count – which promotes how nurseries and the early years workforce can have an impact that lasts a lifetime.
The NDNA Awards will take place on the evening, recognising the best of the industry. Maples Day Nursery in Birmingham, Little Professors Nursery in Walsall and Guilden Sutton Day Nursery in Chester are in the running for the title of Nursery of the Year – England Central.
NDNA Conference was last held at Coventry Building Society Arena in 2018.
Paul Michael, Commercial Director of Coventry Building Society Arena, said: “We look forward to welcoming back the NDNA for its annual conference. We are ideally situated for national conferences with great transport links and a wide range of flexible event space.”
Leaders, managers and practitioners in the early years sector can find out more and register for the conference at www.ndna.org.uk/conference
