Who can forget the government’s attempts to rebrand what Labour politicians had termed the ‘bedroom tax’ as a ‘spare room subsidy’, or more recently, a proposed ‘windfall tax’ on energy companies as an ‘energy profits levy’?
The same has long been true of the early years sector: how long have politicians – from all parties – insisted on describing funded early education and care as ‘free childcare’ in a bid to sell the offer to parents?
And it doesn’t end there.
When the long-awaited consultation on changes to early years ratios was launched on Monday, then-children and families minister Will Quince described the proposals as intended to give greater “flexibility” and “autonomy” to early years providers, who he only expected to use the new ratios “occasionally” if at all.
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