Nursery World - Fears parents will be driven to use unregulated childcare

Anticipated mass nursery and childminder closures could result in desperate parents putting their children at risk by unwittingly resorting to unregulated childcare, warns the Regulation Matters (RM) Campaign.

Campaigners are calling for the regulation of nanny agencies. Many parents don't know that nannies and nanny agencies are unregulated

RM, which is calling for the regulation of all nanny agencies operating in the UK, is concerned that ‘panicked parents and a shortage of registered childcare provides a wide open door for unsuitable people to gain access to children and young people’. Many parents may not be aware that nannies and nanny agencies are unregulated.

Childcare providers are struggling to stay operational because of significant financial losses as a result of both Government underfunding and reduced demand for places during the coronavirus pandemic, The Forgotten Sector report from the Early Years Alliance revealed last week.

The report said that parents will face ‘childcare chaos’ and have problems accessing childcare if urgent action is not taken by the Government. As the country moves out of lockdown, RM cautions that another risk to families will be a safeguarding one as parents look for alternative childcare options.

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