The childcare ratio debate risks overshadowing progress for childminders  

This week the Government unveiled more details around its highly anticipated childcare policy reforms.

I was encouraged to see that decision makers are acknowledging the vital role childminders have to play in the future of a sustainable childcare sector, but the fierce (and legitimate) debate over adult-child ratios in early years settings has eclipsed some of the wider changes put forward, namely: the renewed focused on the potential of childminding. Ironically, this is demonstrative of a long-term problem in early years: childminding is all too often overlooked and under-valued as a solution to our childcare crisis.

It is entirely right to be concerned about changes to ratios and the impact this could have on quality and safety. No-one in the early years education sector wants to put providers under more pressure or do anything that harms quality of care. With the launch of the consultation on the proposed changes, it’s important that our community makes their voice heard on this. 

However, whilst engaging with this important element of the proposals, we must not forget that this was one part of a much wider announcement. As an advocate for the power of childminding and the impact it can have for children, there were several things in this week’s announcement that were hugely encouraging. 

A promise of more financial support to reduce the upfront costs of becoming a childminder, for example, has the potential to drive up recruitment in early years. Start-up costs are a potential barrier to entry and it’s encouraging to see that measures will be introduced to tackle this. The reintroduction of start-up grants for new childminders could be the perfect solution here. 

Likewise, many prospective and current childminders are deterred by the complexities of registering directly with Ofsted. This week’s announcement committed to streamlining this process and encouraged the growth of Childminder Agencies. By amplifying the role of CMAs, we can massively simplify the process of becoming a childminder, give providers the support and tools they need to grow their businesses, and reduce their regulatory and admin burden whilst providing more regular oversight.

A more straightforward, cost-effective registration process, alongside access to bespoke technology, can make all the difference in enabling early years educators to focus on what’s really important. Childminding unfairly has a reputation as an old-fashioned industry when its practitioners are actually delivering cutting-edge, vital education to our next generation – it’s only right that they have more opportunity to access the support to help them deliver this.

But despite these encouraging signals, greater clarity is needed on other key issues. While more flexibility in childminding is welcome, we need details on how the proposal for childminders to care for children from premises beyond their own homes (like village halls) would work in practice. Another meaningful change we’d welcome from the Government would be a review of the options available to those living in rented accommodation. Many prospective childminders are unable to care for children in their home unless they obtain permission from their landlord, which prevents people from setting up - this would be an easy barrier to remove.

I’ve also seen concern from the childminding community over the Government’s intention to ‘slim down’ the Early Years Foundation Stage framework (EYFS) used for childminding. The lack of clarity about exactly what this means isn’t helpful but the integrity of the EYFS should absolutely be safeguarded; it’s a world-leading education standard for the under-5s and one of Britain’s most successful exports. Whilst there may be some elements of the framework that aren’t designed explicitly for childminding-settings and could benefit from being updated or revised, the crucial thing is to ensure childminding retains its reputation as a leading form of highly-skilled childcare. The EYFS plays an important role in delivering this. 

Overall, when it comes to the role childminding could play in the future of our early years education system, this week’s announcement was encouraging. Whilst the issue of ratios has dominated headlines, we mustn’t overlook the other reforms that hold the promise of taking us in the right direction. With a renewed focus on the significant potential of childminding, I am hopeful that we are making the first crucial steps towards empowering existing and new providers to succeed, lightening the load for families, and protecting the futures of our youngest children.