Childcare organisations have expressed their concerns about plans to give councils more control over registration fees following the launch of a government consultation.
Fees paid to Ofsted are currently heavily subsidised, but the Departmentfor Education and Skills wants councils to have more say in how thesesubsidies are distributed. "This would make it possible to target bettersupport on those childcare providers most in need of help," says theconsultation document.
But childcare organisations warned that increased costs could put peopleoff childcare careers and mean providers had less to spend ontraining.
"This is why it is so important. We would urge caution over theproposals," said Liz Bayram, chief executive of the NationalChildminding Association.
- www.dfes.gov.uk.
