Telford MP seeks views on childcare numbers
Telford MP David Wright is asking parents, childcare assistants and nursery owners to let him know their views on the Governments controversial proposal to increase the number of children nursery staff and childminders can care for. He has also signed a motion in Parliament calling for the measure to be dropped.
David Wright MP said: “The Government’s proposal to increase the number of children per member of staff is of great concern and not just to me, but also to influential parent groups such as Mumsnet and Netmums who have both added their support to the growing campaign to stop Ministers increasing the number of children nursery staff and childminders can care for, after overwhelming opposition to the plans from their members.
“Our number one priority has to be the safety of children and I would like to know from parents, childminders and nursery staff what they think.”
Professor Cathy Nutbrown, who was recently commissioned by the Government to write a report on how to increase the quality of childcare, is the latest expert to lash out over Ministers’ proposals, calling the plans “nonsense”.
In a stinging response to the Government’s More Great Childcare plans, published in January, Professor Nutbrown, who is the Head of Education at Sheffield University, said: "Current proposals will shake the foundations of quality provision for young children. Watering down [adult to child] ratios, regardless of the level of qualifications held by staff, is likely to lead to worse, not 'great' childcare, and will undermine intentions to provide quality early learning experiences."
David Wright continues: “Ministers won’t listen to Professor Nutbrown, but they also won’t listen to Professors Helen Penn and Eva Lloyd, who were commissioned by the Government to write a report on childcare costs which warned that increasing ratios would reduce the quality of care and create potential safety issues.
Labour’s Shadow Children and Families Minister, Sharon Hodgson MP, backed Mr Wright and blasted Childcare Minister Liz Truss for criticising English nurseries despite only having visited two in 8 months – both of which are in a short drive of her Westminster office and are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted.
Mrs Hodgson said: “David Cameron’s minister for nurseries feels she can lecture nursery staff on their jobs, but she doesn’t seem to be doing hers. Instead of telling nurseries they’re worse than their French counterparts, when evidence suggests the opposite is true, she should get out of Whitehall and see all the great nurseries and childminders like those in Telford.”
