Truss called to Parliament over ratios row

This follows news that broke overnight that Nick Clegg is challenging the Government’s plans.

During the debate Ms Truss said that she would shortly be publishing research to back up ratio proposals.

She also said that the Deputy Prime Minister should be in the House of Commons making his argument rather than on a radio programme.

Ms Truss also challenged Labour, saying, ‘Bet they haven’t been to nurseries in France.’

During his LBC 97.3 phone-in show this morning Nick Clegg told listeners, ‘I’ve got young children. They’re not at nursery any more, but they’ve been at nursery so I know how much any parent listening to this programme will really, really care that we get this right in terms of improving the affordability of childcare - which we must do - but also the quality,’ he explained.

He also said that reports that the £1,200 a year tax-free childcare was in jeopardy because of the disagreement over ratios was not correct.

‘This has absolutely nothing, nothing at all to do with that at all,’ he said. ‘That is funded completely separately. The £1,200 that stays. I think people are mixing things up there.

‘We need to get it right. I am absolutely passionate that we should do more as a country to make sure that childcare is a better quality but also more affordable and this is not a great ideological thing this is just about getting it right for parents up and down the country.’

In response to one listener who called for childcare to be given more status, he agreed, saying, ‘In a nutshell the debate is all about can you raise quality and quantity at the same time, in other words is there a link between increasing the number of toddlers that an adult’s looking after and raising the qualifications of that adult. During the consultation quite a lot of people said there’s a trade-off between the two.

‘This is the stuff we’re grappling with. We’ve got to get the balance right. We owe it to parents up and down the country that want more high quality, more affordable childcare. I think what you’re saying about giving more esteem and respect for people in society working in childcare is something I strongly agree with.’

Mr Clegg said that he had been talking with David Cameron about the ratio proposals ‘for weeks and weeks’.

Challenged by presenter Nick Ferrari who said that surely he could look after four under-ones, he said, ‘I will challenge you to spend a morning looking after six two-year-olds, I think any of us would find that quite a challenge. I’m actually going to visit a childcare centre this afternoon, so maybe I’ll have a small go.’

Meanwhile, early years organisations are backing Mr Clegg’s intervention.

Anand Shukla, chief executive of Family and Childcare Trust said, ‘We’re delighted that there is, finally it seems, recognition in the Coalition that the proposed ratio changes are a mistake and we’re glad to hear that the Deputy Prime Minister has raised this. Not only are there serious concerns about the impact on quality, but we believe it will do nothing to bring down the costs of childcare for parents.

 However, the pattern since January of announcement, counter-briefing and U-turn, all conducted through the media, is no way to develop policy, let alone childcare policy which is so important for our youngest children.

‘The Government needs to get its act together and stop using childcare as a political football. To find solutions to bringing down the costs of childcare and improving quality, we need long-term decisions that go beyond election cycles, build on robust evidence and that are informed by experts. How are childcare providers expected to plan with this level of confusion and uncertainty, let alone what this does for the confidence of parents.’

Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union, said, ‘The Government’s plans to increase the ratio of children to carer in pre-school settings would be a seriously bad move for children and their parents. Looking after 6 two-year-olds or 4 under-ones would be beyond the wit of all most everyone and will certainly impact negatively on the individual care and attention children will receive.

‘With the Deputy Prime Minister himself now speaking out against this reform it is surely time that the Government put a stop to it. Childcare costs are a real problem for most families but this is not issue which can be addressed in this way. Cutting the requirement for the number of staff an early years setting needs to employ will simply add to the problem of the quality of the childcare on top of the cost.  

‘The minister cites France as an example whose nurseries have a higher ratio of children to carers. What she fails to recognise is that many people in France view their own system as lacking in creativity and paying insufficient attention to child development. They are looking to England and the Nordic countries for inspiration to reform the current system and to learn from our tradition of play as a vital part of education for young children.

‘Ofsted ratings for Early Years were up again last year across the board, while the reputable Economist Intelligence Unit survey published last year, places the UK third in its international table for quality of Early Years Services, with France placed ninth.

‘The professionalism of teachers lies at the heart of real outcomes in EYS. To provide the best pre-school provision for parents and children the Government needs to restore the necessity for a qualified teacher to be employed in maintained settings.’ 

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association, said, 'There has been an overwhelming message from the early years sector that relaxing the childcare ratios is a risk to the quality of care for children.  We welcome the reservations on ratio change shared by Nick Clegg.

'NDNA has been asking Government to stop, rethink and listen to the sector, evidence from academics and parents - early years practitioners and parents don't want these changes.  Parents need affordable childcare, but sacrificing quality isn't the way to achieve it.'

Prospect, the union which represents Early Years Professionals, said it would continue to press the coalition to back down on the ratio plans when it meets with the Department for Education next week.

Prospect deputy general secretary Leslie Manasseh said, 'I welcome Nick Clegg to the growing number of people and organisations that are expressing concerns about these proposed changes.

'Prospect has consistently warned against trying to do things on the cheap, at the expense of safeguarding children. These proposals could put professionals in an impossible position and place children at risk. The Government’s advisor Professor Cathy Nutbrown has voiced her concern and now that the Deputy Prime Minister has expressed concerns too, it’s time for a swift U-turn.'

She added, 'It is important to remember we already have highly trained professionals in nurseries. The Government plans to introduce EYT (early years teacher) qualifications for them. This amounts to rebadging these professionals as teachers, but without the terms and conditions that go with it. This will not help our members and will not improve the development of the children they work with.'