Truss has visited more French nurseries than UK settings
Catherine Gaunt
Friday, May 24, 2013
Elizabeth Truss has made more official visits to French nurseries than early years settings and children's centres in England, Nursery World can reveal.
A Freedom of Information request shows the names and addresses of childcare settings visited by the education and childcare minister, since she took on the role last autumn.
It shows that the minister for education and childcare visited France last October and again in April.
Ms Truss has visited three crèches in Paris, two of them on two separate occasions, as well as an 'école elementaire’ in Paris, a third crèche in Paris, and an école maternelle in Nanterre.
The minister has made a total of seven visits to French nurseries and schools since October.
In England she has visited five different early years settings, including two visits to the early years provision at Durand Academy in Stockwell, south London.
Sharon Hodgson, shadow children’s minister, said, ‘David Cameron’s childcare crisis keeps getting more farcical. Now it seems his minister for nurseries would rather hop across the channel instead of heading around the country to see and listen to some of our excellent nurseries and childminders, and the parents who use them.’
She added, ‘But with quality and safety standards being reduced and cuts to early years budgets, it’s no wonder she doesn’t want to face nursery staff and parents.’
A spokesperson for the Department for Education said, ‘Elizabeth Truss has visited many nurseries and other childcare settings as a parent, before she became a MP, as a backbencher, and as a Minister. She has visited some excellent nurseries but the Government wants more outstanding facilities so that young children get the best start in life.’
ELIZABETH TRUSS'S VISITS TO FRANCE
October 2012
Ecole Elementaire Chome, Paris
Crèche Hérold, Paris
Crèche de l'Oise, Paris
April 2013
Ecole maternelle Casanova, Nanterre
Crèche Hérold, Paris
Crèche de l'Oise, Paris
Les Wagonnets, Babilou crèche
VISITS TO SETTINGS IN ENGLAND
November 2012
Chapel Town Children's Centre, Leeds
Loughborough Children's Centre, Brixton
January 2013
Durand Academy, Early Years, Stockwell (on two separate occasions)
February 2013
Marsham Street Community Nursery (London Early Years Foundation)
April 2013
Little People of Willow Vale, Shepherd's Bush
