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Government's childcare reforms 'put children at risk'

Reforms to increase ratios to allow nursery staff and childminder to look after more children are at odds with Government policy to foster close one-to-one bonds with children, an early years expert will say today.

Dr Carole Ulanowsky, a speaker at What About the Children?’s (WATCh?) annual conference, will tell delegates that while Ofsted guidance emphasises the need for a close bond between child and carer, the proposed ratio changes will make this very difficult.

 In her speech, Dr Ulanowsky, an associate lecturer at the University of Northampton, will say, ‘Child/carer relationships in the first three years of life have the biggest impact on health and happiness – and not just in childhood, but continuing into adulthood. To jeopardise that by overloading nursery staff, is to put children’s futures at risk. Government will require the staff working with the higher ratios to be better qualified - which we welcome - but regardless of how qualified you are, you only have one lap and two arms.

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