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Denmark invests to improve staff:child ratios

As the British Government considers controversial proposals to relax staff:child ratios to reduce the cost of childcare, Denmark is investing substantial sums in improving ratios as part of its Daycare Development Programme.

Speaking at the Reform roundtable this week (28 June), Christine Antorini, Danish minister for children and education, said that £59m was being provided to employ more staff as ratios were beginning to worsen under current funding constraints.

Denmark’s childcare system, consistently praised for its universal, high-quality, low-fee structure, with very highly-qualified staff, typically has ratios of around 1:3 for under-threes and 1:6 for three to fives. Figures are not prescribed by regulation, but government believes that greater ratios will be detrimental to quality.

Ms Antorini said, ‘We will continue to raise the bar.’ The Daycare Development Programme will also seek improvements to the pedagogical curriculum and to parental engagement.

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