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A new report has criticised the EYFS and argued against government-subsidised childcare and in favour of reduced regulation in the sector.

 

The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) released a report titled Getting the state out of pre-school and childcare: End the nannying of UK parents, which argues against state intervention in the early years and suggests that the offer of 15 hours of free childcare should be scrapped.

 

The IEA argues that subsidised childcare distorts the true costs for parents and does not benefit the most disadvantaged children. The report claimed that regulations such as staff/child ratios and required qualifications have pushed lower-cost providers out of business.

 

The report described the EYFS as “a backward extension to the national curriculum” and said that government subsidies and regulations for the sector should be “fundamentally reassessed”. It said: “We need a substantial re-think of the government’s role and an end to the state nannying of British parents.”

 

The Alliance has expressed disappointment with the report’s claims. Neil Leitch, chief executive, commented: “We are disappointed that this report fails to recognise the important and valuable contribution that the early years sector makes to society.”

 

While Neil recognised that the cost of childcare is rising, he argued that scrapping regulations and relaxing staffing ratios is not the best way to reduce costs. He also praised the EYFS as effective and “highly regarded around the world”.

 

Neil said: “While we appreciate there are flaws in the government’s early years policy – not least doubling the free entitlement from 15 to 30 hours without properly analysing how to fund the scheme – to remove state intervention entirely, as this report suggests, would be fool-hardy at best, and downright dangerous at worst.”