Nick Clegg “to block childcare ratio reforms”
Allegra Stratton, Politial Editor for BBC Newnight reports that “Nick Clegg has told Conservatives he will block government reforms to adult-child ratio limits for childcarers”.
In meetings over recent days he said he could no longer back the plan to increase the number of children nursery staff and child-minders can look after.
The deputy prime minister’s veto could have funding consequences for the government’s entire childcare package.
The ratio changes are set to be implemented in England in September”.
The thinking behind this is that it will lead to reduced childcare costs. However, the government’s own adviser on childcare, Professor Cathy Nutbrown has said that “the ratio plans make no sense at all. In February, a colalition formed agains the changes called Rewind on Rations, run by the pre-school learning alliance and supported by, among others, Mumsnet and Netmums.”
Being interviewed on radio station LBC, Nick Clegg said “when the last (Labour) government changed the so-called ratios… it had almost no effect in reducing cost”.
“Looking after 6 two year olds at once is quite a challenge” Nick Clegg said.
That’s a big understatment!
I think anyone would find looking after 6 two year olds a challenge. I don’t believe that increasing the number of children a childcarer ican be reponsible for will have any impact on the cost of childcare.
Those in the childcare profession don’t earn big sums of money as it is and need to be better rewarded for doing their very valuable job – not be in a position where they have the challenge of looking after even more children. Trying to shoe-horn in more children will just cause stress and tensions and very probably poorer childcare.
What do you think about the proposed reforms?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22452161
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2321712/Nick-Clegg-remains-unpersuaded-ratio-reforms-cut-childcare-costs.html