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Childcare Bill

I support the amendments just spoken to by the noble Baroness, Lady Morris. I will speak to my Amendments Nos. 76 and 78 in this group. I am concerned that if an early years provider is able to opt out of the early years foundation stage, not only should the reasons for that be published but groups of parents should have an opportunity to appeal against the decision. I am also concerned that, should any provider be able to exempt a particular child from the EYFS, the parents should have some route of appeal. I fear this may be used in relation to children with disabilities. Although we all accept that children differ in what they can achieve, we should always be ambitious for them and our objective should be to deliver the whole of the EYFS to every child. It could be very invidious to allow a setting to exempt any child. It is a matter of natural justice that parents should be able to challenge a decision to exempt their child from something every other child in that nursery setting has the right to, which is the delivery of the EYFS. It could be seen as a contravention of the DDA should a setting do that to a child with disabilities. It is vital that there should be not just publication of the reasons but a process by which parents can appeal the decision.