“The cost of living and the ever increasing energy costs are having a tremendous impact on every small business in the UK. It is predicted that as a result of the energy crisis that the country is facing, half of small businesses may have to close.
This is woefully disgraceful, small businesses are the back bone of the UK, they support local communities, create thousands of employment opportunities, generate income on a national scale and empower those leading each business forward.
As a franchise network, every single one of our Franchisees across the UK, are small business owners, continually striving to nurture, grow and strengthen their businesses. However, the impending cost of living crisis has the potential to hinder this and, in doing so, diminish all of their hard work and determination in leading successful businesses.
Analysing this risk alongside the impact to the lives of early years children, the issue becomes even more catastrophic. Not only are businesses at risk, but the ongoing development and opportunities of the youngest cohort of our population are too!
Early years children, specifically those under 5 years old, should be actively engaged in at least 180 minutes of physical activity every day. The stark reality is, even without considering the cost of living crisis, is that only 11.1%[1] of 2 – 4 year olds are reaching this guidance, as set out by clear Government legislation.
Within the early years sector and the children’s activity sector, the risk to lives and the way in which early years children will be impacted becomes far greater.
Understandably, parents and carers will be looking at their household income and reviewing where their spend is going. Without decisive support and a clear strategy into how the UK Government will resolve the cost of living crisis, these parents and carers will have to make difficult and emotional decisions about their disposable monthly expenditure.
Tumble Tots, and children’s activities, are critical and essential for the enhancement of the ongoing development of early years children. Every single parent and carer wants the upmost for their children, especially during their most formative years of development.
Tumble Tots should not be seen or regarded as a luxury; we are imperative in providing skills for life within the early years sector. Our classes offer children a springboard to a physically active lifestyle which has far reaching benefits, not only through their early years but, onto the rest of their childhood and into adulthood.
In attending Tumble Tots classes, parents and carers are not only supporting and nurturing their child’s development, but they are also fundamental in supporting another small business within their local area.
Tumble Tots firmly places the importance of family and early years development at the forefront of its philosophy. It is incredibly important, that we provide opportunities to mitigate the risk to early years children and to our network of Franchisees as a result of the cost of living.
Tumble Tots wants to see a clear pathway of how the UK Government will be supporting small businesses and consequently supporting the development of early years children.”
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[1] Cross-sectional analysis of physical activity in 2–4-year-olds in England with paediatric quality of life and family expenditure on physical activity | BMC Public Health | Full Text (biomedcentral.com)