The petition – which gathered more than 100,000 signatures – was launched after the government announced plans to change staff:child ratios for two-year-olds in England from 1:4 to 1:5, in a bid to reduce childcare costs for parents.
The proposals were widely met with criticism from childcare experts, who warned that relaxing childcare ratios could be “catastrophic” for children’s safety and welfare.
The government responded to the petition, saying it sought sector views through its childcare consultation, which closed in September, though it is yet to publish a response to the consultation’s findings.
Parliament has since agreed to debate the petition’s challenge to the ratios proposal. The debate is due to take place late this afternoon, and will be opened by Catherine McKinnel, Labour MP for Newcastle North.
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