Political Analysis - Current Strengths

...

one can be at the expense of the other. (Campbell - Barr, 2009).

In the UK there is no official body for the early provider’s market making the market inconsistent and incoherent across the country. Ofset who is the official government body for early child providers carry out inspections and issue guidelines that are open to interpretation.

Future Prospects

As noted in Marketline ties with China are strong after a turbulent start when Cameron irked the Chinese government by visiting the Dalai Lama in 2012. Tensions between the two nations has considerably cooled with investments of GBP 14 billion agreed in 2013 in the fields of energy, financial services and infrastructure. (Marketline, 2015:16)

The early provider’s markets will continue to grow as unprecedented demand continues as the government continues with early funded education policies.

Future Risks

The UK government is seeking to hold a referendum in 2017 on the UK’s continuing membership in the EU. The UK is skeptical over the reforms of the EU moving in the direction of a federal EU. If the UK exit the EU, there will be serious repercussions for the UK economy. In 2015 the rating agency S&P downgraded the UK’S sovereign rating to negative as a consequence of the ongoing tensions with the EU.

The early providers market is totally dependent on government subsidies to continue to expand. The conservatives returned to government with a majority leaving them to reform the welfare system. The government spends GBP 6 million from this budget for early education so reforms of the way early funded education is under scrutiny from expenditure to tighter regulation. Currently the government is putting the childcare bill on hold till 2017.

Blanden, J., Del Bono, K., McNally, S. & Rabe, B., 2014. Evaluating a demand side approach to expanding free preschool education, Colchester: Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER).

Campbell - Barr, V., 2009. Care and Business Orientations in the delivery of Chilcare: A exploratory Study. Journal of Childhood Research, 7(1), pp. 76-93.

Gyimah, S., 2015. Press Release - Record numbers benefitting from thriving childcare market. London: Department of Education.

Marketline, 2015:16. Pestle Country Analysis Report United Kingdom, London: Marketline.

Penn, H. & Lloyd, E., 2013. The Costs of Childcare, London: CWRC Working Paper No. 18.

Whitaker, A., 2015. Provision for Children under five years of age, London: s.n.

World Bank Group, 2016. Ease of doing Business in United Kingdom. [Online]

Available at: http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/united-kingdom

[Accessed 28th October