Relaxation of childcare staffing ratios 'has put toddlers at greater risk'

Toddlers have been "sold out" to balance the books of the government's childcare bill, according to nursery providers, who say young children have been put at risk by changes in supervision rules.

- Emily Dugan

The deaths of two babies in nurseries made headlines last week, but frontline workers say they are concerned for the safety of older toddlers after the government relaxed rules on staffing ratios.

Since September, nurseries and other childcare providers in England have only needed one adult for every five two-year-olds rather than every four. Childcare experts say this could affect safety and prevent the most vulnerable children from accessing early years education.

Neil Leitch, the chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, which represents 14,000 providers of care and education to under-fives, said the change was dangerous and one of several recent early years policies that was "a race to the bottom".

Leitch said: "Those charged within government with the stewardship and the educational development of our youngest children, I think they sold them out in favour of balancing the books because never do they talk about what's in the best interest of children."

Regarding staffing ratios, he said: "There's no question that it's more dangerous than if we kept it where it was."