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Privatised early years inspections could lower care quality

1 min read Early Years
Unison has warned Ofsted that privatising early years inspections could lead to a drop in standards of care for babies and toddlers in nurseries.

The union made the claim in response to news that the watchdog is planning to outsource nearly half of its early years inspections to a private company.

Although the contract is not yet finalised, Ofsted's preferred bidder is the Tribal Group, which is already contracted to provide school and learning and skills inspection services for the south region.

But Unison fears outsourcing inspections to private companies could lead to cuts in the service, including job losses.

Jon Richards, the trade union's national officer, said: "Many Ofsted early years inspectors have worked in childcare, meaning they are experts in assessing what makes a good standard of care for babies and toddlers.

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