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Childcare Bill

I understand the concerns of the noble Baroness, Lady Walmsley, that have led to this clutch of amendments, but I have some concern that the noble Baroness’s net will be cast over all the voluntary provision proposed by the Government for short-term, occasional and activity-based care. While I welcome the amendments, I will take the opportunity that has been afforded by them to ask the noble Baroness the Minister a few questions. The Government say that they will encourage nannies to register. How do they plan to inspect registered nannies and measure the outcomes? Will parents be able to use their childcare element of the working families’ tax credit to pay for registered nannies? It is just a thought. While implementation of the proposed regulations is subject to consultation, what is the thinking behind some of the issues they are proposed to cover? For example, I understand that children of different ages will affect the ratio of staff to children. I was hoping that the Minister could outline further how the nature of the provision may affect the ratio. Does it vary in the PVI sector versus the private sector? If so, in general terms, why? I should like to come back to the debate we had on qualifications because it matters with ratios. The Government paper states that ratios will vary depending on the qualification of the leader of the provision. I believe that is also the case in schools where teachers are allowed a higher children-to-staff ratio than private, voluntary and independent providers. Yet, as the noble Earl, Lord Listowel, pointed out in an earlier debate, the PGCE does not currently include child development. I do not believe that there is any intrinsic link between a degree or other piece of paper and the ability to care for children, and I suppose I am playing devil’s advocate in arguing against what I was saying in the debate on accreditation. Montessori Education is concerned that if the Minister’s department is not careful, the childcare industry will lose experienced older women from the workforce. It highlights the fact that by 2015 it will be expected that managers of all day care nurseries will have early years professional degree status. In many cases, managers have run their schools for 10 to 15 years or more with level 3 and 4 qualifications; they also have many years’ experience both in childcare and with their own children. They will have participated in continued professional development in areas such as child protection, first aid, foundation stage or, in this case, professional development and the Montessori approach, as well as other courses. I apologise for bringing up this issue here but I thought it was important to talk about ratios. We have touched on this before but I wonder whether the Minister could tell us how these levels of practical expertise could be acknowledged and recognised.