Winning public support for quality and affordable early education and childcare for The Early Education and Childcare Coalition

The UK’s complex early education and childcare sector is home to myriad organisations, each working towards building a better, more sustainable childcare system for the future. The Early Education and Childcare Coalition has worked with Claremont since its launch in spring 2023, to create and amplify a unified voice that can speak on behalf of the sector. This voice has a clear call: to cement public support for a long-term political focus on, and investment in, early education and childcare.

Claremont was asked to work with the Coalition to help them better understand the public’s views on early education and childcare.

We conducted qualitative research, identified key themes and shared beliefs and merged them with the voices within the coalition to inform a set of framing guides. These help politicians, journalists and campaigners alike to talk about early education and childcare in a way that resonates and deepens public engagement.

Key themes included the crucial role of early education and childcare as an essential enabler for working parents, its role in supporting – not replacing – parents in their joyful job of raising their children, and the need for quality, nurturing settings and putting children’s needs first.

Our report – produced alongside our partners More in Common – was shared at a Westminster reception attended by dozens of member organisations and other stakeholders in the autumn of 2023. We look forward to supporting the Coalition’s efforts into 2024 and beyond.