Sisters need help to feed children

in adult social care is a stark warning about the disastrous impact of finance-driven organisations delivering fundamental care services.

Often in a privatised system, cost-cutting focuses on the workforce, employing fewer staff at lower pay and with worse terms and conditions, which will in turn have a huge impact on the quality of provision on offer.

Early years workers are already scandalously undervalued, with rock bottom pay and terms and conditions that rarely include contractual sick pay. Low pay and restricted opportunities for progression underpin the decline in qualification levels in the sector. At the same time, directors and shareholders of some of the largest nursery chains are able to take handsome salaries and dividends.

Childcare and early years provision are a vital foundation to greater equity and better outcomes for children. But, as this report shows, privatisation undermines this and risks further erosion of pay terms and conditions among early years workers.

The English system of childcare and early years provision is an outlier in terms of the extent of privatisation as well as the low level of overall investment. Greater regulation of the companies and organisations involved is clearly required, but what is also needed is significant investment and a commitment to rebuilding our publicly funded and delivered childcare system. We cannot leave this vital element of our education system to the vagaries of the market.”

Kevin Courtney , Joint General Secretary National Education Union

We want to let your readers know that this is the last month for their donations to

Mary’s Meals to be matched through the charity’s Double The Love campaign.

We have been enormously moved by the stories of the children who eat Mary’s Meals.

Children like 11-year-old Failo, whose life is in some ways no different to that of children living here in Warwickshire.

He enjoys playing football with his friends and, in class,

Acting sisters Sophie and Emma Thompson are spearheading a charity appeal (see last letter) loves reading and writing best.

But his life can be very hard. He lives in a rural village in Zambia where there is no electricity, and his windowless home is made from mud bricks.

Food is scarce and Failo relies on a serving of porridge from Mary’s Meals each morning in school – often his first meal of the day.

More than two million children in 20 countries eat Mary’s Meals every school day.

The food attracts them into the classroom, where they receive an education that can, in the future, be their ladder out of poverty.

Until 31 January, donations made to this wonderful charity’s Double The Love campaign will be matched by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.6 million – meaning even more little ones will receive a nutritious meal at school.

We hope your readers will visit marysmeals.org.uk/ doublethelove to donate. Emma & Sophie Thompson

Mary’s Meals

What are your views on the news? Email PTeditor@ peterboroughtoday.co.uk