Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that children in early years settings (a) are safe and (b) receive adequate social interaction when the adult-to-child ratio is increased.

The government remains committed to supporting the childcare sector, and to providing flexibility to providers in order to help more parents to access childcare in support of their working lives. That is why, on 15 March 2023, the government announced a significant new investment in childcare worth over £4.1 billion by 2027/28. In addition, the government has decided to proceed with the proposed changes to staff to child ratios for 2-year-olds from 1:4 to 1:5, to bring English ratios in line with Scottish ratios.

The health and safety of children will always be a priority, it is providers’ responsibility to ensure that staffing arrangements meet the needs of all children and ensure their safety. The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets out specific ratios and qualification requirements for specific age bands. These ratios are there to help ensure that there is adequate staffing to meet the needs of and to safeguard children. Additionally, providers are required to adhere to the learning and development requirements within the EYFS, which are available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/974907/EYFS_framework_-_March_2021.pdf. These requirements are informed by the best available evidence on how children learn and reflect the broad range of skills, knowledge, and attitudes children need to thrive, and as foundations for good future progress.

The department is also changing the EYFS framework to increase safety and help prevent choking incidences in early years settings. We will make it explicit that ‘adequate supervision’ whilst children are eating means that children must always be in sight and hearing of a member of staff, not just within sight or hearing.

The government trusts that setting managers know their children and staff best, and fully supports the judgement of setting managers and practitioners to work at the ratios that are right for the individual needs of their staff and children. The proposed changes to ratios would continue to be a statutory minimum requirement for settings, and there will be no obligation on providers to operate at the statutory minimums. Providers can continue to work to tighter ratios if they decide that is best for the children and staff at their setting. A full response to the consultation is accessible at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1142987/Childcare_regulatory_changes_government_consultation_response.pdf.