In its response to the petition on the Parliament website, created by Zoe and Lewis Steeper whose son Oliver died in September, days after he was believed to have choked at nursery, the Government says that while the proposed changes to ratios would amend existing statutory minimum requirements, providers would continue to be able to staff above this if they would prefer.
It states, ‘These changes would hand greater autonomy to settings to exercise professional judgement in the way in which they staff their settings, according to the needs of their children, and help as many families as possible benefit from affordable, flexible, quality childcare.’
The petition, which urges the Government not to make any changes to child: staff ratios, has attracted more than 58,000 signatures.
When a petition on the Parliament website reaches 10,000 signatures, the Government is required to respond.
At 100,000 signatures, a petition must be considered for debate by Parliament.
The Steeper's petition was launched after reports last month suggested that the Prime Minister Boris Johnson is looking to cut the number of staff caring for children in early years settings. This preceded confirmation from the children and families minister Will Quince on Twitter that the Department for Education will consult on plans to raise the number of two-year-olds one member of staff can care for in early years settings in England from four to five before the summer.
The Government response to the petition reads, ‘The Government will consult in the summer on moving to the Scottish ratios for two-year-olds, from a ratio of 1:4 (one adult to four children) to 1:5 (one adult to five children). Throughout this consultation process, we will engage fully with the sector and parents/carers on this proposed change. Our priority continues to be to provide safe, high quality early years provision for our youngest children.
‘This change would align the English system to that of Scotland. We are proposing to move to the Scottish ratios for 2-year-olds on the basis that Scotland has a similar childcare system to England, we have no evidence to suggest that the Scottish model is unsafe, and evidence shows high parental satisfaction rates. England’s statutory minimum staff to child ratios for 2-year-olds are among the highest in Europe.
‘The safety and quality of early years provision is of utmost importance to the Government. All early years providers are legally required to keep children safe and promote their welfare.
‘The Government recognises that the cost of living and the cost of childcare is a concern for people. The Department for Education is working across Government to support families with their childcare bills through 15 hours free childcare for eligible 2-year-olds, 30 hours free childcare for 3–4-year-olds, Tax Free Childcare and Universal Credit. We have spent over £3.5bn in each of the past three years on our early education entitlements and the Government is committed to continuing to look for ways to improve the cost, choice, and availability of childcare and early education.’
Commenting on the response, the Early Years Alliance accused the Government of being inconsistent with its rationale for relaxing ratios.
Chief executive Neil Leitch explained, ‘The Government’s rationale for relaxing ratios keeps changing. First, it was to provide “cheaper childcare”, now it is to provide “greater autonomy and flexibility to parents”. But at no point has there been any discussion about what is best for children.
‘While we know that most providers would be unlikely to make any changes to their ratios whether or not the rules change, the fact is that those children attending the minority of settings that might would see quality of care and education they receive decline – and we as an organisation simply cannot sit by and watch that happen.
‘There are so many ways in which the Government could support early years providers to deliver the quality, affordable care and education families need. Wasting time on ratios is not one of them.’
