CYP Now - Greater regulatory oversight of large children’s home and childcare providers needed, Ofsted warns

Stronger oversight of large providers of both children’s homes and childcare settings is needed to ensure “children are getting the best deal”, Ofsted has said.

Ofsted's Yvette Stanley described the guidance changes as "a real step forward". Picture: Ofsted

Describing current legislation as “outdated”, two new reports by the inspectorate say it “does not reflect the level of influence that early years multiple providers and social care groups have on individual nurseries and children’s homes, respectively”.

Social care groups are providers that own more than one children’s home, the research notes.

Early years multiple providers are Ofsted-registered providers that own two or more childcare settings, such as nurseries and pre-schools.

The reports find that such providers “exert a great deal of influence over their settings” but add that Ofsted is currently only able to inspect individual nurseries, pre-schools and children’s homes.

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