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The Early Years Alliance has reacted following confirmation from children and families minister Will Quince that the government is planning to review early years 'regulation' in a bid to cut childcare costs for parents. 

The admission came in an interview during Radio 4's Today programme yesterday (29 March 2022), in response to a question from presenter Nick Robinson, who said of high childcare costs:

"Many people in your own party think that that’s because regulations are too tight; it should be easier to look after more children … Are you going to deregulate? Are you going to do something about the cost?"

to which the minister responded:

"I am going to look at regulation and in part that’s because I need to see what is happening abroad, flying over to Sweden and France and the Netherlands and see how they do it differently."

In 2013, the Early Years Alliance (then called the Pre-school Learning Alliance) launched and led the Rewind on Ratios campaign, which successfully overturned government plans to relax early years ratios, led at the time by then-early years minister Liz Truss.

Commenting, Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said: “It is beyond absurd for the government to look at deregulation as a solution to rising childcare costs.

“Many in the sector will be understandably concerned that this is code for relaxing ratios. This would be a disastrous and retrograde step for the sector, especially in light of the fact that now more than ever, children need more individual care and education to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on their education and early development. 

“What’s more, this admission came on the very same day as the government’s launch of its SEND review. How will any form of “deregulation” support the quality of care or help the sector to achieve any meaningful SEND reform? 

“Early years providers across the country pride themselves on being able to offer world-class care and education, so why is our government looking to other countries to find examples of lower standards that we can imitate? The fact is that the problems facing our sector cannot be solved without a fundamental rethink of early years funding, and the sooner ministers accept this, the better. 

“The sector is being pushed to the brink, with many providers having no option but to close permanently. By looking at how the sector is regulated, the government has missed the mark entirely and is wasting vital time and resources that could be used to review early years funding and the long-term future of the sector.”