The low down - care standards

The Government's proposals for the new Ofsted 'care' inspections have provoked accusations of a lowering of standards, says Ruth Thomson The Government stands accused of lowering standards in childcare following the release of the proposed standards on which the new arm of Ofsted will base its 'care' inspections from September 2001. 'What the Government is trying to do is increase provision, but it's lowering standards to achieve that, and that's totally unacceptable,' says managing director of Child Base nursery chain...