This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council's Childcare and Workforce Lead, Children and Families, Clare Thompson, for the attention of Early Years staff in schools, private, voluntary and independent settings and childminder settings.
The Department for Education is seeking views to help reach well-informed and fair decisions on proposed regulatory changes to childcare in England.
‘Drive to reduce the cost of childcare for parents’ - Package of measures will increase childcare support for parents, boost the number of childminders and drive take up of childcare offers, to address rising costs.
Consultation description
This consultation seeks views on proposals to:
- change the current statutory minimum staff:child ratios in England for 2-year-olds from 1:4 to 1:5
- change the early years foundation stage statutory framework (the EYFS) to be explicit that childminders can care for more than the specified maximum of three children under the age of 5 if they are caring for siblings of children they already care for, or if the childminder is caring for their own baby or child
- make the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework (EYFS) explicit that ‘adequate supervision’ while children are eating means that children must be in sight and hearing of an adult
To view the consultation visit: https://consult.education.gov.uk/childcare-futures-unit/childcare-regulatory-changes/