Analysis

Ratios change: key questions

3 mins read
As minister calls for England to adopt Scottish childcare ratios, experts say the systems are very different.
Nurseries in Scotland have higher standards of training and practice monitoring. Picture: Micromonkey/Adobe Stock
Nurseries in Scotland have higher standards of training and practice monitoring. Picture: Micromonkey/Adobe Stock

In a series of tweets last month, children’s minister Will Quince announced the government wants to change childcare ratios in England so that early years staff can look after more children than is currently allowed under the national standards.

Quince said that a consultation on the changes – which would allow one staff member to look after a maximum of five two-year-olds, instead of the current four - would be carried out before the summer recess. He said the move would mirror the children-to-staff ratios used in Scotland.

Earlier this year, the minister announced plans to visit France, the Netherlands and Sweden to see how they regulated the early years, before deciding to look closer to home for inspiration for reforms in England.

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