The Government’s reforms to the childcare system in England risk “widening” gaps in child development and worsening quality, a report has warned.
Plans to expand free childcare for working parents are “problematic” as many poorer children will miss out on provision, according to the Sutton Trust.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced reforms in the Budget in March which will allow some families of children as young as nine months to claim 30 hours of free childcare a week.
The Sutton Trust report, conducted by reseachers at RAND Europe, examined the early years systems of a range of countries.
It said: “Countries that are known for high-quality provision have low child-to-staff ratios and staff with high qualifications, ensuring that children benefit from quality interactions with well-trained educators.”
From September this year, the Government will change minimum staff-to-child ratios in England from 1:4 to 1:5 for two-year-olds in England, but the change will remain optional to childcare settings.
The report highlighted concerns that quality would not be “maintained or improved” during the expansion, especially if the Government decided to reduce the proportion of staff required with a level 2 qualification.
