Sector leaders vow to oppose relaxation of childcare ratios
Fiona Simpson
Monday, October 4, 2021
Early years leaders have hit out at rumoured government plans to relax childcare ratios.
According to the Telegraph, ministers are looking at implementing changes allowing each childminder to look after more toddlers at one time.
Current guidance states that “a childminder may care for a maximum of six children under the age of eight. Of these six children, a maximum of three may be young children and there should only be one child under the age of one”.
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A child is classed as a “young child” until 1 September following their fifth birthday.
However, under new proposals, one childminder could supervise five children classed as “young children” rather than just three in a bid to make childcare cheaper for working parents struggling to keep up with current costs, according to the newspaper.
The Department for Education said that any changes would be subject to a public consultation and added that “the number of childcare places offered by providers remains stable”.
Sector leaders have said they will “fully oppose” any attempts to change ratios following a similar failed move by David Cameron, under the coalition government in 2013.
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said: "Let’s be clear: if the government does attempt to relax ratios, it won’t be because they want to help providers or parents. It will because ministers see doing so as a shortcut to fixing the childcare crisis that they created without having to actually invest in the early years sector.
"Existing adult-child ratios in early years settings are there for a reason: they safeguard young children’s safety and wellbeing, and ensure that they get the best possible care and education. For the government to even consider making such a change would speak volumes about how little they value quality early care and education.
"When ministers tried to make this change eight years ago, parents and providers united to oppose it. We hope the government isn’t planning to make the same mistake twice."
June O’Sullivan, chief executive of the London Early Years Foundation, added: "In essence, the government wants to 'level up' by cutting its spend and find ways of reducing costs to voters.
“If this means increasing the adult-to-child ratios then, without doubt, it will significantly reduce the time available for staff to spend with each child. This is particularly important for the youngest children, our little babies and two-year-olds whose welfare and development are closely linked to social interaction and forming secure attachment relationships with adults.
"I urge our new education minister, Will Quince to get to grips with why thoughtful ratios are critical for the wellbeing of children and the ability of staff to really support their learning and development."
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), said: “This is not the first time that relaxing ratios has been proposed when talking about the cost of providing high quality childcare, however we have not seen anything official along these lines. We are talking about nurseries and childcare providers who are critical to starting children on their educational journeys. Policy decisions affecting children’s early learning and development have to be evidence based, not done by soundbites.
“Cutting down on staff-to-child ratios is not the answer to reducing the cost of childcare at a time of staffing crisis and underinvestment from the government. We can’t fix the challenges faced by the early years sector just by asking staff and nurseries to do more with less.”
Recent research from Action for Children found that 4.3m families are struggling to access childcare while a poll of NDNA members shows that 95 per cent say their settings are underfunded by the government.
Boris Johnson is expected to announce the changes during his keynote speech at the Conservative Party conference on Wednesday ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review on 27 October.