Corporatisation and financialisation of Early Years in the UK
Earlier in 2024, Sara Harris, Amy Horton and Eva Lloyd published their paper Corporatisation and financialisation of social reproduction: Care homes and childcare in the United Kingdom. This paper looks at how financialisation and corporatisation of care homes and Early Years services in the UK has had a negative impact on both capacity and wages in both of these sectors. For the purposes of this Policy in Focus, our interest is drawn to the experiences of the Early Years sector as outlined in the paper.
Financialisation and Corporatisation of Care
The authors outline their definitions and occurrences of financialisation and corporatisation. They note how investors have restructured Early Years companies to maximise financial returns. It is noted that large parts of the Early Years sector in the United Kingdom have undergone financialisation – a series of changes linked to their acquisition by investment funds, especially private equity firms. Under the ownership of investment funds, Early Years services finances have seen both quantitative and qualitative changes. Such funds make heavy use of debt to acquire, expand and finance companies in their portfolios.
Financialisation is closely related to corporatisation, defined as occurring when a public service that had been organised and delivered by the state and/or voluntary sector, is replaced by privatised provision involving large companies. Corporatisation thus introduces for-profit logic, which strengthen incentives to cut expenditure on staff in labour-intensive services like care, going beyond the broader processes of privatisation or marketisation. The presence of large corporations concentrates and centralises ownership and control, shifting power from frontline staff and towards distant senior managers.
Impact on Wages
The report finds that Besides the availability of state subsidies and the gains from financial strategies set out above, investment in care, and as such Early Years, has been attractive because of the returns to be made from reducing staff expenditure; by cutting staffing levels and depressing the pay and benefits of a workforce with relatively little bargaining power. Care work is performed disproportionately by working class and/or racialised and migrant women.
The United Kingdom Early Years workforce, just like the care homes workforce, is proportionally one of the lowest paid among the female workforce, as nursery carers earn less than the average wage across all UK employment sectors. Working with children in private sector group-based settings, Early Years practitioners may be graduates or have a range of childcare qualifications, while some have none or are school leavers. Their pay is less than half that of the qualified graduate teachers staffing state primary nursery classes and nursery schools.
Effect on Capacity
This has also had an effect on capacity in the sector, leading to demand outstripping supply of places. The authors note that one of the most alarming features of the financialised corporatisation of Early Years over the last few years has been the failure to substantially increase the total number of Early Years places. In terms of numbers of settings as well as places, the two market leaders have always outstripped the other top 25. The corporation listed in third place in 2022, Kids Planet, ran 97 settings, 194 fewer than number 2, although it had almost doubled in size since March 2021, purely through mergers and acquisitions. These developments constitute strong evidence for the risks of closure and the creation of ‘childcare deserts’, that is areas not adequately served by Early Years services, that accompany financialisation within the corporate childcare market.
Conclusion
This paper provides an interesting viewpoint of financialisation of care, and the impact that this has on capacity and wages within the Early Years sector in the United Kingdom. This in turn has a negative impact on children and families attempting to access Early Years services. The full paper can be found online.
If you have any questions or would like to know more about Early Childhood Ireland’s policy work, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]
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Updated Progress Report on First 5
Managing Garda Vetting Applications
Garda Vetting Tracking Dashboard
Managing Garda Vetting applications is an essential part of maintaining a safe, compliant environment for your settings — but it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. To support you, Early Childhood Ireland provides a comprehensive Garda Vetting Tracking Dashboard, giving you instant visibility of every application linked to your service.
This dashboard centralises all your vetting activity, helping you stay organised, monitor progress, and confidently manage the three‑year re‑vetting cycle with timely oversight.
Getting Started: How to Access Your Dashboard
To view and manage your Garda Vetting applications:
- Log in to the Early Childhood Ireland website
- Go to My Account space
- Select the Garda Vetting Dashboard
Reminder: If your organisation operates across multiple sites, and you use different Membership or Garda Vetting user numbers, ensure you are logged into the correct account. Only applications associated with that specific membership number will appear.
What Your Dashboard Shows
Your dashboard displays all applications submitted to Early Childhood Ireland for processing. Once an application is submitted, it is essential that the designated Garda Vetting contact for your service checks their email inbox — or returns to the dashboard — 24 hours after submission to confirm receipt of application.
Please note:
- Applications submitted on a Friday evening or over the weekend will not receive confirmation emails until the following Monday.
- If you do not receive a confirmation email and the applicant does not appear on your dashboard after 24 hours, the submission was not successful. You will need to resubmit, ensuring the “thank you” screen appears after clicking ‘Submit’.
When an application is successfully received, your dashboard will display:
- The ECI reference number (application ID)
- The applicant’s full name
These details of the applicant remain visible until the National Vetting Bureau (NVB) completes the vetting process.
Tracking Your Applications with Ease
Within the ‘Current Applications’ section of your Garda Vetting dashboard, you will find a direct link to the Garda Vetting Application Tracker. This takes you straight to the NVB tracking page — no extra steps required.
Why Use the NVB Tracker?
The NVB tracker provides:
- Real‑time status updates throughout the vetting process
- 24/7 access to application progress
- Fast, reliable checks whenever you need clarity
Have these two pieces of information ready:
- The Application ID / ECI reference number
- The applicant’s date of birth
Understanding What You See on the Tracker
Once the tracker loads the application, it will display the current stage of the vetting process. It is normal for a status to remain unchanged for several days, as updates are not issued daily.
If the tracker displays an error:
- First, ensure all details entered are correct
- You can copy and paste the required information directly from the Early Childhood Ireland dashboard
- If the error continues, you may need to clear your device’s cookies and try again
If you are unsure what certain terms or stages mean, clear explanations of each step in the vetting process are available in our Garda Vetting FAQs, under “How can I track an application I have submitted for a staff member?”
Keep in Mind: Current Application Processing Times
As processing times for Garda Vetting have increased, having a forward‑looking approach is key to avoiding delays as the NVB processes applications in chronological order. The following guidance will help you understand the updated timelines and plan both recruitment and re‑vetting with confidence
Standard applications:
- 15–20 working days (previously shorter)
Note: Around 20% may take longer
- 15–20 working days (previously shorter)
Applications with EU address history:
- Add up to 10 extra working days
Total: approx. 25–30 working days
- Add up to 10 extra working days
Applications with UK address history:
- Add up to 20 extra working days
Total: approx. 35–40 working days
- Add up to 20 extra working days
Important Reminders:
- Timelines begin only after the applicant receives, completes, and submits their NVB link.
- Re‑vetting follows the same process and timelines as new applications.
- Early Childhood Ireland cannot prioritise or expedite applications, as all applications are processed in chronological order by the NVB.
Avoiding Delays: Practical Steps for Validators
Follow up with applicants to confirm they have:
- Received the NVB link after you submit their details to Early Childhood Ireland
- They can access the link sent via the NVB
- Completed and submitted the NVB link correctly
Common issues that stop the process from starting:
- Incorrect email address or date of birth submitted
- Application not received by Early Childhood Ireland (no confirmation email received and not visible on your dashboard after 24 hours).
- Action: Resubmit and ensure the “thank you” screen appears on submission.
Accuracy checks to share and remind your applicants:
- Answer the mandatory questions correctly:
- Have you previously lived in another EU member state country or UK country, other than Ireland? — The answer must match the address history/birthplace provided by the applicant
- Does the role involve working with children — must reflect the role applied for
- If either is completed incorrectly, the link is cancelled and reissued to the applicant with the issue outlined and how to amend
- Complete address history from birth to current in chronological order, with:
- House/apartment number, street, town/city, country, Eircode/postcode (if available)
- Use the country drop‑down menu to avoid errors
Best practice:
- Ensure online details match the NVB1 and Identity Document Validation Form exactly
- Share the Applicant User Guide (created by the NVB) to reduce errors and cancellations
- Start the re‑vetting process 2–3 months before disclosure expiry to avoid disruption
Helpful Information
Practical Tools and Resources to Guide Affiliates:
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Share this post
More to explore
Updated Progress Report on First 5
Managing Garda Vetting Applications
Garda Vetting Tracking Dashboard
Managing Garda Vetting applications is an essential part of maintaining a safe, compliant environment for your settings — but it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. To support you, Early Childhood Ireland provides a comprehensive Garda Vetting Tracking Dashboard, giving you instant visibility of every application linked to your service.
This dashboard centralises all your vetting activity, helping you stay organised, monitor progress, and confidently manage the three‑year re‑vetting cycle with timely oversight.
Getting Started: How to Access Your Dashboard
To view and manage your Garda Vetting applications:
- Log in to the Early Childhood Ireland website
- Go to My Account space
- Select the Garda Vetting Dashboard
Reminder: If your organisation operates across multiple sites, and you use different Membership or Garda Vetting user numbers, ensure you are logged into the correct account. Only applications associated with that specific membership number will appear.
What Your Dashboard Shows
Your dashboard displays all applications submitted to Early Childhood Ireland for processing. Once an application is submitted, it is essential that the designated Garda Vetting contact for your service checks their email inbox — or returns to the dashboard — 24 hours after submission to confirm receipt of application.
Please note:
- Applications submitted on a Friday evening or over the weekend will not receive confirmation emails until the following Monday.
- If you do not receive a confirmation email and the applicant does not appear on your dashboard after 24 hours, the submission was not successful. You will need to resubmit, ensuring the “thank you” screen appears after clicking ‘Submit’.
When an application is successfully received, your dashboard will display:
- The ECI reference number (application ID)
- The applicant’s full name
These details of the applicant remain visible until the National Vetting Bureau (NVB) completes the vetting process.
Tracking Your Applications with Ease
Within the ‘Current Applications’ section of your Garda Vetting dashboard, you will find a direct link to the Garda Vetting Application Tracker. This takes you straight to the NVB tracking page — no extra steps required.
Why Use the NVB Tracker?
The NVB tracker provides:
- Real‑time status updates throughout the vetting process
- 24/7 access to application progress
- Fast, reliable checks whenever you need clarity
Have these two pieces of information ready:
- The Application ID / ECI reference number
- The applicant’s date of birth
Understanding What You See on the Tracker
Once the tracker loads the application, it will display the current stage of the vetting process. It is normal for a status to remain unchanged for several days, as updates are not issued daily.
If the tracker displays an error:
- First, ensure all details entered are correct
- You can copy and paste the required information directly from the Early Childhood Ireland dashboard
- If the error continues, you may need to clear your device’s cookies and try again
If you are unsure what certain terms or stages mean, clear explanations of each step in the vetting process are available in our Garda Vetting FAQs, under “How can I track an application I have submitted for a staff member?”
Keep in Mind: Current Application Processing Times
As processing times for Garda Vetting have increased, having a forward‑looking approach is key to avoiding delays as the NVB processes applications in chronological order. The following guidance will help you understand the updated timelines and plan both recruitment and re‑vetting with confidence
Standard applications:
- 15–20 working days (previously shorter)
Note: Around 20% may take longer
- 15–20 working days (previously shorter)
Applications with EU address history:
- Add up to 10 extra working days
Total: approx. 25–30 working days
- Add up to 10 extra working days
Applications with UK address history:
- Add up to 20 extra working days
Total: approx. 35–40 working days
- Add up to 20 extra working days
Important Reminders:
- Timelines begin only after the applicant receives, completes, and submits their NVB link.
- Re‑vetting follows the same process and timelines as new applications.
- Early Childhood Ireland cannot prioritise or expedite applications, as all applications are processed in chronological order by the NVB.
Avoiding Delays: Practical Steps for Validators
Follow up with applicants to confirm they have:
- Received the NVB link after you submit their details to Early Childhood Ireland
- They can access the link sent via the NVB
- Completed and submitted the NVB link correctly
Common issues that stop the process from starting:
- Incorrect email address or date of birth submitted
- Application not received by Early Childhood Ireland (no confirmation email received and not visible on your dashboard after 24 hours).
- Action: Resubmit and ensure the “thank you” screen appears on submission.
Accuracy checks to share and remind your applicants:
- Answer the mandatory questions correctly:
- Have you previously lived in another EU member state country or UK country, other than Ireland? — The answer must match the address history/birthplace provided by the applicant
- Does the role involve working with children — must reflect the role applied for
- If either is completed incorrectly, the link is cancelled and reissued to the applicant with the issue outlined and how to amend
- Complete address history from birth to current in chronological order, with:
- House/apartment number, street, town/city, country, Eircode/postcode (if available)
- Use the country drop‑down menu to avoid errors
Best practice:
- Ensure online details match the NVB1 and Identity Document Validation Form exactly
- Share the Applicant User Guide (created by the NVB) to reduce errors and cancellations
- Start the re‑vetting process 2–3 months before disclosure expiry to avoid disruption
Helpful Information
Practical Tools and Resources to Guide Affiliates:
