Call for more qualified nursery staff

MORE than 20,000 childminders and nursery workers would need to take extra qualifications to make sure that they are all 
providing good quality care, new research suggests.

All staff working with poorer two-year-olds under a major Government scheme should be qualified to at least A-level standard, according to a report commissioned by the Sutton Trust.

The study published today also suggests that the Government should halt its plans to expand free nursery places for disadvantaged two-year-olds until it can be guaranteed that they will all have access to decent quality places.

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The research, by early years academics at Oxford University, looked at the future of the free places scheme. Currently, free nursery places are offered to the poorest fifth of two-year-olds, and this is due to be extended to the poorest two-fifths from September this year. It will mean that around 260,000 are eligible, compared to around 130,000 youngsters at the moment.

Oxford’s report found that good quality places are not yet available for all of the 92,000 two-year-olds who are currently getting free care under the scheme.

It says that improvements to the qualifications and training of early years workers is needed if the initiative is to be expanded successfully with more good quality childcare places available.

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