The Sure Start website lists the names of 48 IiC schemes, including those run by local authorities, early years partnerships and early years and childcare organisations.
However, the Childcare Bill consultation questions whether IiC schemes are 'the most effective use of resources'.
A spokesperson for the Yorkshire and Humberside Quality Co-ordinators'
Group said,'We feel angry that quality appears to be slipping down the DfES agenda. The group feels that the Childcare Bill consultation appears to contradict the ringing endorsement of QA expressed by the DfES only last month in the consultation on the Draft Code of Practice on the Provision of Free Nursery Education Places for three and four-year-olds.'
The consultation document includes the statement: 'Research has shown that quality assurance is an effective route to raising standards and improving service quality. The DfES, therefore, encourages local authorities to promote the benefits of quality assurance to providers of free early education places.'
Early years organisations were also quick to defend QA schemes, which are popular with practitioners and settings, as a way of supporting good practice and driving up quality.
The National Childminding Association (NCMA) runs two Investors in Children approved schemes: Children Come First, for childminding networks, and Quality First, for individual childminders.
Since completing the NCMA Quality First scheme, Bristol childminder and playgroup leader Adele Nelson has started teaching the Diploma in Childcare and Education at a local college. 'I am approaching the so called retirement age and I have discovered due to Quality First that you can teach an old dog new tricks - and it is great,' she said.
Liz Bayram, NCMA's director of policy and public affairs, said, 'NCMA is surprised the consultation on the Childcare Bill seems to imply quality assurance is an expensive and unnecessary mechanism. With Ofsted moving to a three-year inspection cycle, QA, along with training, will be key to ensuring all childcare practitioners, including registered childminders, are supported to deliver high quality childcare, through continuous professional development.'
She said that 3,233 childminders were enrolled on Quality First and that 534 had successfully completed the scheme. There are currently 256 approved Children Come First networks.
Ms Bayram added, 'The challenge for Government is to build on the childcare sector's enthusiasm for QA, so that Investors in Children becomes the equivalent of Investors in People (IiP) - something all parents value in the way that employers and employees value IiP.'
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association, said, 'We agree that there are too many Quality Assurance schemes, but the Government has to take some responsibility for allowing so many to be IiC accredited. Thousands of childcare providers have invested time and money into achieving quality assurance and the schemes are helping to improve quality in childcare.'
She added, 'We suggest the Government works closely with existing scheme providers to determine the best way forward and to ensure the schemes are built into the implementation of the 0-5 framework in 2008.'
* The Yorkshire & Humberside quality co-ordinators group is holding a national conference on quality assurance on 8 September in Leeds. Call Leeds Early Years Service on 0113 395 0551 for details.
