ypern – Y-PERN

Y-PERN 2025 Conference Highlights: Bridging Academia and Policymaking

July 7, 2025July 3, 2025 by ypern

The Yorkshire & Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network brought together 200 delegates at the University of Huddersfield for our most ambitious conference yet, showcasing how devolution is creating unprecedented opportunities for academic-policy collaboration across our region.

Devolution: A Game-Changer for Yorkshire

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin opened the conference with a powerful message about the region’s potential: “Our 12 fantastic higher education institutions are working hand-in-glove with our innovative businesses to forge our own future.” Her words set the tone for a day focused on how devolved powers are transforming the relationship between universities, local government, and business.

The morning’s first roundtable brought together heavyweight voices including Dave Petley (University of Hull VC and Chair of Yorkshire Universities), Stian Westlake (Executive Chair of the Economic and Social Research Council), Kate Josephs (CEO of Sheffield City Council), and Mark Casci (Head of Policy and Representation at West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce).

Kate Josephs captured the moment perfectly: “What devolution offers is a new opportunity for universities partnering with local governments, with regional governments, with businesses, with other educational institutions to really start to weave together a programme of research that can be practical, that can change things and that have even greater impact.”

Real-World Collaboration in Action

The second session, chaired by Natalie Allen from Leeds Beckett University, demonstrated how our network is already turning theory into practice. With speakers including Peter O’Brien from Yorkshire Universities, Kate Mieske from South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, Dr. Jatinder Singh Mehmi from the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission, and Robin Tuddenham from Calderdale Council, the session highlighted the significance of place-based partnerships in driving meaningful policy change.

Tackling Regional Challenges Together

Our interactive workshops proved to be the conference’s most dynamic element, with stakeholders collaborating on pressing issues including:

Early years and childcare provision
Community engagement strategies
Business support frameworks
Housing security challenges

These sessions demonstrated Y-PERN’s core strength: bringing together the right people to tackle complex regional challenges with evidence-based solutions.

Looking to the Future

The closing panel, “Where Next? The Future of Regional Policy Engagement,” brought together Kersten England CBE (our Engagement Director), Sarah Chaytor (Co-Founder of UPEN), Prof. Rebecca Riley (Co-Director of City-REDI), Jon Gleek from Doncaster Council, and our own Programme Manager Kayleigh Renberg-Fawcett.

The panel emphasized how Y-PERN harnesses the expertise of Yorkshire’s 15,000 academics to tackle local challenges while exploring how our regional model could inform engagement strategies both regionally and nationally.

Celebrating Our Impact

The conference showcased Y-PERN’s proven track record, highlighting successful initiatives including the Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership (YPIP) and Yorkshire & Humber Office for Data Analytics (YHODA). These examples demonstrate our network’s ability to create lasting institutional innovations that deliver real benefits for our region.

We’re proud to share that our recently published Impact Report showcases three years of collaboration between Yorkshire and the Humber’s universities and policymakers that has transformed evidence-based decision-making across our region.

Building Yorkshire’s Future Together

The success of our 2025 conference reinforces Y-PERN’s vital role in advancing research-informed policy development throughout Yorkshire and the Humber. As we continue to fulfil our commitments outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding between Yorkshire Universities and Yorkshire and Humber Councils, we’re building a stronger, more collaborative future for our region.

We would like to extend a huge thank you for all the speakers and delegates for joining us at Y-PERN 2025.

Devolution in Yorkshire and the Humber

July 1, 2025 by ypern

Discover how regional governance is transforming through collaborative leadership and devolved powers.

We are proud to present our explainer animated video on “the story of devolution”, a film about how devolution is transforming governance across Yorkshire and the Humber region.

Animated by Leeds Arts University graduate, Kieran Leppington, the video perfectly illustrates how Yorkshire and the Humber’s Mayoral Combined Authorities are pooling resources and leveraging devolved powers to drive regional growth and address unique local challenges – from coastal erosion in Hull to integrated transport across West Yorkshire.

Understanding Regional Devolution

This comprehensive introduction explores how devolution has reshaped governance across Yorkshire and the Humber since 2014. Learn about the four Combined Authorities, their elected mayors, and the collaborative approach driving regional development through the ground-breaking White Rose Agreement.

Devolution Powers & Responsibilities

Economic development and regeneration initiatives
Strategic transport planning and investment
Housing development and affordable housing delivery
Adult skills and education coordination
Policing oversight (Police and Crime Commissioner duties)
Ten-year Local Growth Plan development
Collaborative regional policymaking

Key Statistics

4 Combined Authorities
5.18M Total Population
£99.34M Annual Investment
30 Years Funding Commitment

Latest Development

The March 2025 White Rose Agreement marks a historic collaboration between regional mayors, strengthening partnerships on economic, social, transport, and environmental priorities.

Y-PERN would like to give a special thanks to voiceover artist Andy Mycock, script writers Neil Barnett and Andy Mycock and to the team at The Knowledge Exchange at Leeds Beckett University in the production of this video.

Y-PERN’s 2025 Impact Report

July 5, 2025June 27, 2025 by ypern

Three-year report reveals ground-breaking collaboration between universities and policymakers drives regional development

Y-PERN’s 2025 Impact Report showcases three years of close collaboration between the region’s universities and policymakers that has transformed evidence-based decision-making across Yorkshire and the Humber.

Since its inception in 2022, Y-PERN has established itself as a critical bridge between the region’s universities and policymakers, fostering collaboration that harnesses Yorkshire and the Humber’s remarkable multidisciplinary academic expertise to address key policy challenges.

Together with our partners across our twelve universities, and wider network, we’re working on a shared endeavour towards regional supported through Y-PERN but recognising the region’s wider strength

Y-PERN has been fundamental to the Combined Authority, particularly in helping us to develop our Local Growth Plan. As a newly formed CA, we don’t have a large or established data resource in place and Y-PERN has helped to fill that gap and ensure our emerging strategies are evidence-led.

— Kate McHugh, Research and Evaluation Officer, York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority

Breaking Down Silos, Driving Action

Y-PERN’s innovative networked approach is successfully transforming academic engagement with policy, creating a “live laboratory” for regional development. The initiative has leveraged over £6 million in Research England funding to support evidence-led policymaking across diverse areas including skills development, childcare, female entrepreneurship, homelessness, and flood risk management.

A Model for the Future

As Yorkshire and the Humber continues to evolve with devolution – now with all regions covered by Mayoral Combined Authorities – Y-PERN’s collaborative model demonstrates the significant benefits that can be achieved when academia, policymakers, and communities unite under a common purpose for regional development.

“The Devolution Project has been a successful collaboration between Yorkshire and Humber Councils and Y-PERN, showcasing the region’s commitment to enhance local governance, drive innovation and support collaboration via devolution. At a time where devolution continues to build momentum, with all areas of the Yorkshire and Humber region now covered by an MCA or Strategic Authority, this project has been helpful in demonstrating the region’s strong support for collaboration and the potential for devolution to bring significant benefits to local communities.“

Florence Drew, Head of Chief Executive’s Office, Office of the Chief Executive Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

As phase one of Y-PERN’s programme draws to its end and enters its transition year in 2025-2026, the report looks to the future and evaluates the impact that Y-PERN has had. It highlights Y-PERN’s unique Policy Fellow model, which embeds academic researchers directly within policy organizations, creating trusted partnerships that enhance both research quality and policy impact. This approach has proven particularly effective in providing specialised expertise where capacity is limited.

“Our findings indicate that the policy fellow role is crucial, as is a knowledge brokerage approach and Yorkshire Universities’ contribution. We found early signs of impact on policy development, with higher education also emerging as an effective alternative to consultants in certain contexts.“

– Dr Bridget Sealey, Stephen Meek and Claire Packman (with advisory support from Prof Kathryn Oliver), Sealey Associates (Y-PERN Evaluation team)

For more information about Y-PERN’s impact and future initiatives, visit our Impact report: Bridging academia and policy across Yorkshire & the Humber.

Data to make South Yorkshire an even better place

June 18, 2025 by ypern

This article was first published on the University of Sheffield’s website.

University of Sheffield data scientist Dan Olner is part of the pioneering team working with Y-PERN (The Yorkshire & Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network), a partnership that links the worlds of academia and local government.

Making South Yorkshire an even better place to live and work isn’t simply about throwing public money at ‘off-the-peg’ initiatives.

It means developing bespoke policies and plans which reflect the voices of local people and the unique characteristics of the area itself – and that’s where the University of Sheffield comes in.

The University is one of 12 across Yorkshire and Humber that have teamed up to give the region’s local authorities the expert knowledge and data that they need to develop policies and plans tailored to the specific needs of people in their different authority areas – including ‘newly’ formed mayoral areas.

University of Sheffield data scientist Dan Olner is part of the pioneering team working with Y-PERN (The Yorkshire & Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network), the new partnership linking the worlds of academia and local government.

Dan, who is an expert in economic geography, politics and international relations, as well as data science, is based in the University’s Management School but his Y-PERN role means spending lots of time at the offices of South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority (SYMCA) – the authority that he has been paired with.

Dan said: “Y-PERN is about strengthening the glue between Yorkshire and Humber’s universities and its local and mayoral authorities and I’m one of around a dozen academics embedded in the region’s local government bodies. Over the years, local policy spaces have lost a lot of the expertise that they once had, making it harder to have insight into what’s happening in our own regions. Y-PERN is playing a small part in helping turn that around – not by ‘transmitting expertise’ from universities, but by embedding within policy teams who are also experts in what they do, and collaborating deeply.”

“I’m regularly in SYMCA’s Sheffield office, working with them on specific projects. That experience has been fantastic – the level of daily collaboration is high. As one of the other fellows said: ‘The policy environment changes massively faster than academia,’ making for a very different structure and pace. And SYMCA is full of incredibly smart and dedicated people.”

Y-PERN is all about ‘place-based’ economics and generating data to make sure that Yorkshire’s councils are equipped to understand the current and future needs of the people in their different areas, the historic strengths and weaknesses – and the future opportunities too.

The partnership’s website explains that YPERN itself is ‘changing the way researchers and policy makers work together to develop inclusive, place-based policies across Yorkshire & the Humber.’

For Dan, the work means harnessing his research skills to gather evidence and data from around the world that contribute to the authority’s decision-making processes, its strategic objectives to build a stronger, greener, and fairer economy and what SYMCA calls its ‘good growth’ plan.

His projects so far include a report analysing the historic and recent growth of South Yorkshire’s different economic sectors against national trends.

He said: “You can’t know where you are now, without understanding what the past is, and you can’t work out where you’re going next unless you know where you are now. There are things that are quite specific and different about South Yorkshire. One of the things I’ve been helping to do is to develop the economic story of how South Yorkshire got to where it is today.”

Dan says that collaboration lies at the heart of Y-PERN, with academics like him working together with local authorities for a shared goal – the growth of the region – and not just simply filling a data shortage.

He said: “The relationship building is absolutely vital. So, you’re not just coming up with an abstract list of questions. Part of that process is developing the connections between people who are asking them, so that we can collaborate on pushing in the same direction.

“The mayors of authorities are currently going through a process of asking themselves, what questions do we need to answer? And then there’s a whole range of different ways in which they can think about filling those gaps. Building stronger connections with universities is one of the options they now have.”

He added: “None of this is about growth for growth’s sake. It’s about supporting growth that benefits everybody…One of the things that I’m trying to take little baby steps towards is to make sure that communities affected by data and analysis and evidence have a say in that and are never affected by something without having a say in it.”

The University of Sheffield is not just benefitting from it’s Knowledge Exchange work and strengthened relationships with the region’s local authorities. Its relationships with other nearby universities have been re-invigorated too.

Dan said: “Universities are often in competition, so building those collaborations to work on shared problems in the same place is really useful and we still get the outputs, which is what universities also want.”

Y-PERN would like to thank Pip Strafford from University of Sheffield for preparing this article on Dan Olner.

Boosting academic evidence in policymaking

June 6, 2025 by ypern

A £5.9 million fund has been awarded to universities in Yorkshire and the Humber, which jointly co-lead a national network aimed at enhancing place-based academic policy engagement.

The £5.9 million award to Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN) provides a fantastic opportunity to draw out Y-PERN’s valuable learnings in co-production with UPEN on matters such as the diverse role a policy fellow plays, and the unique contributions of each individual university.

UPEN provides a platform for decision-makers to access relevant academic research as they seek to improve services for the public. That work can now be scaled up following a £5 million award by Research England to ten UPEN universities across the UK.

The investment will see UPEN evolve from a voluntary network into a sustainable organisation that connects policymakers with researchers from more than 110 university members.

The funding is supported by an additional £582,000 from UK Research and Innovation and £300,000 from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

Professor Andrew Brown, Y-PERN Academic Director and Professor of Economics and Political Economy at Leeds University Business School, is one of three UPEN co-chairs.

Professor Brown said:

“The new UPEN investment will be another vital step in facilitating the use of academic research capacity for policy across the UK. I am particularly pleased that it builds on the network approach pioneered at a regional scale by Y-PERN.”

Members of the UPEN National Executive Committee also include Kayleigh Renberg-Fawcett, Senior Programme Manager at Y-PERN and Dr Andy Mycock, Y-PERN Chief Policy Fellow.

With a renewed government focus on an evidence-based approach, UPEN will unite the research and innovation ecosystem

Professor Nick Plant, University of Leeds

Over the next four years, UPEN will undertake a programme of work including:

Improving UK universities’ ability to engage with policy organisations and policymakers.

Supporting place-based policymaking by strengthening engagement between universities, regional and local policy organisations.

Embedding citizen engagement and community-driven approaches to policymaking.

Creating more sustainable and resilient engagement models.

Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Executive Chair of Research England, said: “The need for reliable evidence which can inform public debate, and policy has never been greater. 

“With increasing pressure on public finances, it is also vital that local and central governments can be confident that their policy interventions will be effective and successful – and academic expertise has a crucial role to play in that process.” 

Professor Nick Plant, Pro-Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation at the University of Leeds, said: “This funding will further support our community of researchers to work with policymakers to generate the evidence base required to address the complex challenges facing society today.

“With a renewed government focus on an evidence-based approach, UPEN will unite the research and innovation ecosystem, offering a wealth of academic insight and experience to inform policy decisions and improve outcomes.”

The investment sees the Universities of Birmingham, Leeds, Cambridge, Durham, Huddersfield, UCL, Nottingham Trent, Southampton, Teesside, Insights North-East and the Wales Centre for Public Policy at Cardiff University all working collaboratively to strengthen evidence-informed policymaking.

UPEN will also work with the Institute for Community Studies, the Institute for Government and Yorkshire Universities. The organisation will bring together our Yorkshire and Humber regional networks, including  Yorkshire Policy and Innovation Partnership (Y-PIP) and The NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Yorkshire and Humber.

We hope that together, we will draw upon our collective experiences to strengthen engagement between academic institutions and policymakers, ensuring that evidence shapes effective public policies.

UPEN is a UK-wide network of organisations who support evidence use in public policymaking. It provides an interface between universities and local, regional, and national policy organisations. It is hosted by UCL within UCL Public Policy, and co-chaired by Sarah Chaytor, Director of Policy and Strategy at UCL, Andrew Brown, Professor of Economics and Political Economy at the University of Leeds and Chris Hewson, Head of Policy Engagement at the University of Huddersfield.

For UPEN enquiries, contact hello@upen.ac.uk

Hull and East Yorkshire Regional Report

May 8, 2025 by ypern

The election of a new mayor for Hull and East Yorkshire, Luke Campbell, is an important moment for the region. Y-PERN and the University of Hull have a strong track record of working with East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Hull City Council, and the Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority. Both the University of Hull and Yorkshire Universities have underlined their commitment to working with Mayor Campbell and the region’s local and combined authorities to enhance regional growth and prosperity for Hull and East Yorkshire.

The recently published Hull and East Yorkshire Regional Report encapsulates some of this work, highlighting key initiatives driven by the Y-PERN partnership with the University of Hull. These include significant collaborations with the Hull Poverty Truth Commission (HPTC), Town Anywhere, and the Water and Coasts Community Futures Network. The report emphasises the importance of building strong partnerships between academics and local communities, involving community members in meaningful ways, ensuring that their voices are heard and valued. In the report, the University of Hull highlights its role as a pivotal partner in fostering community engagement and innovative policymaking.

Y-PERN, Yorkshire Universities and the University of Hull look forwards to actively supporting collaboration with public, private and third sector stakeholders to strengthen regional engagement with new Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority and its new mayoral team.

Funded by Research England, Y-PERN is a network-based approach to academic policy engagement in the Yorkshire and Humber region that aims to strengthen collaborations between Yorkshire Universities (YU) and Yorkshire and Humber Councils (YHC)

Y-PERN 2025 Conference: Bridging Academia and Policymaking

April 24, 2025April 24, 2025 by ypern

We invite scholars, policymakers, and community leaders to engage in vital discussions surrounding academic-policy collaboration aimed at regional development.

The conference will bring together leading academics, policymakers, and practitioners to explore innovative approaches to incorporating academic academic research into impactful policies. With confirmed speakers including Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, and Robin Tuddenham, Chief Executive of Calderdale Council and President of Solace, the day will include stimulating panel discussions, insightful case studies, and interactive sessions aimed at fostering meaningful dialogue and collaboration. These activities will help us explore ways to achieve multi-level growth, promoting fairer, greener, and more inclusive futures.

The conference will begin at 9 AM with a welcome session led by Professor Tim Thornton, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield. Our guest speakers will include Kersten England, Chief Executive Officer of the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council; Harpreet Uppal, Member of Parliament for Huddersfield; and Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire.

The agenda includes engaging discussions on the evolving relationship between universities and policymakers, showcasing the impact of the Yorkshire and Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network (Y-PERN). Participants will explore Y-PERN network’s collaborative approach, engage in interactive breakout sessions which tackle key regional policy challenges, and will be invited to share ideas for future growth strategies. Themes will include early years education, community inclusion, business support, and housing solutions.

A pivotal focus will be placed on the evolving dynamics of university-policy engagement within the context of a rapidly changing policy landscape. Participants will examine how such collaborations can effectively respond to emerging opportunities and challenges.

The 2025 conference will serve as an important platform for networking among influential speakers, researchers, and organisations committed to fostering effective policymaking. The discussions at the conference are expected to yield insights into practical, evidence-based policy frameworks that can facilitate multi-level growth. By harnessing collaborative efforts, the aim is to create more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient communities across Yorkshire and the Humber.

To view the full agenda and to register for your free ticket, please visit our Eventbrite page.

The event is being delivered by Y-PERN with support from the team at Social. If you have any questions or require further information, please email them on ypern@social.co.uk.

South Yorkshire Sub-Regional Report 2025

April 24, 2025April 24, 2025 by ypern

We proudly present our South-Yorkshire Sub-regional Report, a collaborative effort between Y-PERN, Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) and the University of Sheffield (UoS).

Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) and the University of Sheffield (UoS) jointly host the South Yorkshire Y-PERN team. The SHU team operates from the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR) and includes two policy fellows, Elizabeth Sanderson and Dr. Jamie Redman, along with Professor Peter Wells, who is a member of the Y-PERN Academic Steering Committee, and Dr. Rich Crisp, who is also a Co-Investigator for the Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership (YPIP).

At the University of Sheffield, Y-PERN is represented by policy fellow Dr. Dan Olner and Professor Vania Sena, who is the Chair of Entrepreneurship and Enterprise within the university’s Management School. Dr. Olner is embedded within the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), while Professor Sena serves on the Y-PERN Academic Steering Group and is also a Co-Investigator for YPIP.

The report, authored by Rich Crisp, Dan Olner, Jamie Redman, Elizabeth Sanderson, Vania Sena, and Peter Wells, provides a detailed overview of the collaborative initiatives undertaken by the South Yorkshire team in partnership with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA).

It highlights the ongoing collaboration with SYMCA, focusing on enhancing regional economic development and addressing skills shortages. A key aspect of this partnership is the transition from reactive contract research to a strategic partnership model, which promotes long-term collaborations between Y-PERN, Sheffield Hallam University (SHU), the University of Sheffield (UoS), and SYMCA.

These joint efforts aim to improve job quality and support the development of SYMCA’s Skills Strategy. Various initiatives, including evidence briefings, workshops, and data analysis, have been implemented to inform policy decisions.

The report underscores the importance of close collaboration and knowledge exchange, illustrating the benefits of integrating academic resources within local government to establish a stronger foundation for economic growth in the South Yorkshire region.

Making sense of the busyness: Yorkshire & Humber networks for research-policy engagement

April 23, 2025 by ypern

Following a Yorkshire & Humber Networks event in February at Doncaster Council, we are delighted to be able to share with you an interactive visual tool that helps articulate some of the region’s networks that are supporting research-policy engagement.

The networks covered include:

Yorkshire Universities
Yorkshire & Humber Councils Policy Forum
Y-PERN
YPIP
YPC
Yorkshire & Humber Applied Research Collaboration
Health Determinants Research Collaborations
Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission

To view this tool in a larger format click here

You can also find an overview of our discussions visually presented below – and read up about our key takeaways in this Y-PERN blog.

live scribes Download

For further information, please contact Kayleigh Renberg-Fawcett (Senior Programme Manager) on contact@y-pern.org.uk

Early Years Education and Childcare System in West Yorkshire Report

April 8, 2025April 2, 2025 by ypern

Y-PERN and West Yorkshire Combined Authority present a report on the early years and childcare system in West Yorkshire. Written by Y-PERN Policy Fellow Dr Tom Haines-Doran and a research team comprising of Karen Arzate Quintanilla, Dr Lilith Brouwers, Dr Jo Burgess, Dr Aimee Code, Dr Amy Creaser, Dr Erin Dysart, Dr Jack Simpson and Dr Claire Smithson.

The West Yorkshire Local Growth Plan, has identified early years education and high-quality childcare provision as key enabling policy areas for an inclusive economy, performing a dual role for families:

1. High-quality early years education can transform the life chances of children, reducing entrenched inequalities at the earliest opportunity.

2. Affordable and available childcare enables greater parental and carer participation in the labour market, especially for women.

The Yorkshire and Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network (Y-PERN) has led new research, bringing together national and regional evidence and taking a systems mapping approach for the West Yorkshire Early Years Education and Childcare sector.

The research found that the Early Years Education and Childcare sector in West Yorkshire is led by providers, their workforce and Local Authorities that are exceptionally dedicated to the education and care of children and their families.

However, the research also found that providers and key stakeholders face considerable challenges in a very complex system.

Affordability for parents remains an issue despite increasing funding entitlements, as does navigating the entitlements, financial support and local availability of places.

Current funding entitlement for childcare disproportionately benefits higher earning families. Families on the lowest incomes are seeing virtually no direct benefit from increased entitlements because entitlements focus on families with working parents and some providers target wealthier areas for expansion

Workforce challenges reflect national trends and include:

Low recruitment and retention
Poor pay
Lack of progression opportunities
Lack of training and development opportunities (e.g. around special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and caring for very young children)
A highly gendered workforce and a lack of diversity

The government is seeking to ‘break down barriers to opportunity’ with a focus on the Early Years Education and Childcare sector and the continued roll out of childcare entitlements for working parents on a national level.

The Y-PERN research report offers new insights into how West Yorkshire Combined Authority can best support the revitalisation of the Early Years Education and Childcare sector, alongside Local Authorities and providers.

Through a ‘systems mapping’ exercise, undertaken in conjunction with Early Years Education and Childcare academic experts, providers and West Yorkshire local authorities, Y-PERN researchers identify three regional ‘policy levers’ that the Combined Authority could engage to improve Early Years Education and Childcare quality and accessibility:

Political leadership and advocacy. Many of the challenges facing the Early Years Education and Childcare sector result from under-funding, despite recent increases in ‘entitlements’. The Combined Authority could champion the sector on a national level, while convening providers and local authorities on a regional scale to help overcome fragmentation and unevenness in the system. It could also consider whether targets based on outcomes may be appropriate, to help direct policy.
Information sharing and systemic analysis. Making good policy and making choices as parents relies on good data, but this is unavailable in many key areas, especially at a West Yorkshire scale. The Combined Authority could work with the sector, local authorities and academics to identify where greater data availability could add value to policy, practice and parental choice.
Creation of a West Yorkshire Early Years Education and Childcare workforce strategy. The sector relies on a dedicated workforce, which is too often under-paid, under-prepared and under-appreciated, resulting in a recruitment and retention crisis. The Combined Authority could help to remedy this through a regional workforce strategy that improves both recruitment levels and training provision. Among other priorities, recruitment should aim to increase male representation from low levels. Training should target key challenges, for example around SEND provision and caring for very young children, to improve outcomes and help retain staff.

As an immediate and direct response to the third identified regional lever, the Combined Authority has commissioned Bradford Birth to 19 Institute for the Early Years, to develop an evidence-based, practical workforce plan rooted in the region. The plan will identify practical, implementable steps to address key challenges around recruitment and retention, training, development and progression as well as diversity of the workforce.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:

“I welcome this first of its kind report from the Yorkshire and Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network, and we are already taking action to respond to the recommendations.

“The evidence is clear – our early years sector in West Yorkshire and across the country is facing significant challenges, and we must take action now to address the concerns of a workforce that is undervalued and underpaid, and of families who deserve consistent and high quality childcare services.

“Faced with unprecedented funding pressures, our councils cannot be asked to meet this challenge alone. Devolution is the green shoot of hope that can empower our region to invest in the early years workforce we need, to set our children on a path to success and sow the seeds of a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire.

“We have commissioned a regional workforce plan for early years education that will enable us to tackle the urgent challenges around recruitment and retention head-on, and we are flexing our adult skills funding to deliver training, development and progression opportunities within the sector.

“But we have so much further to go, and we will continue to work alongside the sector, our councils and the government to make sure that our great region has the powers and funding it needs to build an Early Years Education and Childcare system that works for both parents and practitioners.”

Christian Bunting, Executive Director at Bradford Birth to 19, said:

“We are really excited to be doing this work with the Combined Authority. As a team of Early Years professionals, who are passionate about improving the workforce and in turn improving outcomes for children, we have genuine interest in this work and the drive to ensure that the positive impacts of this project are maximised.”Birth to 19 Institute for the Early Years is the training, sector improvement, research and policy arm of St Edmund’s Nursery School, a maintained Nursery School in Bradford judged Outstanding by Ofsted. The nationally recognised organisation improves outcomes and increases social mobility for children through school and setting improvement, training and qualifications, guidance, and cutting-edge educational initiatives.

The Y-PERN report has also already informed strategic commissioning decisions of the Combined Authority around Skills Bootcamps. Over 200 places to train Early Years Educators are being commissioned, and the training includes a focus on equipping practitioners with knowledge of SEND, speech and language and how to work with the youngest children, following the findings in the report. Three organisations have commenced delivery, including Kirklees Council which has already seen 80% of participants secure interviews in the sector.

You can read the report here: The Early Years Education and Childcare system in West Yorkshire