Deregulation isn't the answer

Conservative MP, Elizabeth Truss, has today suggested that childcare regulation should be simplified and childminders allowed to care for more children at a time, to attract higher-paid staff

Ms Truss has argued that increasing the number of children under 5 that childminders can care for would attract more higher-paid staff to the profession thereby improving the quality and availability of childcare

The report also called for childminders to be able to register with a local agency, nursery or network which would take responsibility for inspection and training and be regulated by Ofsted.

NCMA is against the proposals outlined by Ms Truss. Stuart Turner, Director of Professional Standards, says: "NCMA does not see the suggestions as a step in the right direction. The system in the Netherlands is now in the process of being abandoned because it wasn’t successful; costs increased and quality was driven down.

"In the UK, parents receive money and/or tax breaks to spend on private services, whereas in many EU countries where parents pay less, government funds services directly, thereby cutting out a level of bureaucracy," he adds.

NCMA's Individual Inspection Matters campaign calls for government to retain the current system and increase state funding for childcare.

"EC data shows that in countries where childcare is cheaper for parents there are high levels of government funding channelled directly to services, so local authorities finance around 80% of the cost of an early years’ place, and parents pay the rest. In the UK, around 13% of childcare costs are subsidised by Government," says Turner.

NCMA's campaign gives childminders a chance to have their say on the proposed deregulation idea. A survey has already had almost 3000 repsonses, and registered childminders are discussing the proposals and their views at www.ncmalocal.org.uk, a community forum for registered childmniders and nannies.

Page last updated: 3/6/2013