Here's how you can help us solve London's Early Years crisis in the post-COVID world
After fifteen years running Teach First, I’ve started a new organisation focused on the Early Years sector. Our goal is to ensure more children are school-ready when they start Reception class.
Why the Early Years?
When tiney launched in 2018, I had no idea of the unprecedented times that lay ahead; I just knew that there was a shortage of high-quality early years settings in the UK and wanted to do something about it.
Sky-rocketing rent prices have led to large increases in childcare costs over the last twenty years. Alongside this, the number of registered childminders has plummeted by 27%.
This is concerning because evidence shows that home-based care is the best environment for child development during the early years. And Coronavirus has shone a light on the benefits of home environments versus larger institutions at slowing its spread.
The need for quality, affordable childcare is at an all-time high. And there’s not enough of it to go around.
The Current Crisis
On top of this already challenging situation, the arrival of COVID-19 has plunged the Early Years sector into crisis. Thousands of nurseries and childminders are struggling to stay afloat. Many could go out of business over the next six months.
It’s no exaggeration to say that this would be catastrophic for childcare in the UK.
Fewer childcare options means even higher prices, lower quality care and greater levels of inequality. Poorer outcomes in the Early Years mean poorer outcomes in primary school and beyond. Ultimately, it’s our children who will suffer.
Introducing tiney
tiney is reimagining the childminding profession and the Early Years sector more broadly.
We help passionate people set up their own childcare businesses at no upfront cost to them. We support them with everything from training, finding customers to the day-to-day running of their business.
At the centre of this is a world-class early years pedagogy based on the EYFS framework, which we’ve developed with expert partners from around the world and former Teach First leaders.
Practitioners get the support they need to make their business a success, with a good professional salary and a world class community - all from their living room.
And more children get the highest-quality of Early Years education possible.
How you can help
With childcare settings at risk and parents needing support to get back to full productivity, there has never been a greater need to recruit more people into the Early Years.
As a tech-first company, we’ve been able to rapidly adapt our training process in response to the virus, and can now train candidates in under three months - for free.
We need your help to get the word out to great people who want to make a difference to children’s lives.
Our growing pool of talented practitioners includes:
- teachers looking for more flexible work from home
- parents who’ve enjoyed this unexpected time at home educating and entertaining their children more than they imagined
- furloughed nursery staff who are seeking more autonomy and a professional salary.
Our goal is to have an army of brilliant home educators ready and waiting to provide quality childcare once restrictions are lifted.
If you find yourself believing in what we’re trying to do you can help us by:
1. Thinking of 3 people you know who would make amazing tiney home leaders and sending them the message below:
“tiney are helping passionate people launch their own childminding businesses, so they can give more children a world-class Early Years education. There are no up-front costs and they offer 1:1 support throughout the process. I thought you might be a great fit - if you’re interested you can find out more here.”
2. Spreading the word in any parent or teacher communities / networks you’re involved with. If you'd like more info, my team and I can help you or even some templates - feel free to message me back on LinkedIn or email me at [email protected]