This study aims to investigate the change to staff: child ratios for two-year-olds within the EYFS in England, which came into force in September 2023.
While the rule change is not mandatory, the changes mean that the maximum number of two-year-olds that one adult can care for in nurseries has been increased to five two-year-olds, rather than the previous one to four ratio.
This study also aims to capture responses in relation to how happy and healthy the people who work in nurseries feel and how well early years staff think the children are looked after and educated.
The research is being led by the early years team at Nottingham University.
Dr Aaron Bradbury, principal lecturer in Early Childhood Studies, said, ‘The changes to two-year-old ratios within the EYFS has been at the forefront of discussion recently.
‘This has been a challenging time for professionals and settings and we want to see what the picture is like now that those changes have been put into place. We are keen to hear whether the changes have essentially had an impact on the child.’
Lead researcher David Meechan added, ‘This research has been designed because we know the nursery ratios changed in September 2023, but what we don't know is the impact that this change is having on practitioners and children in nurseries in England.’
- Take part in the research here