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Truss to focus on childminder agencies in bid to cut childcare costs

The Prime Minister Liz Truss is to press ahead with plans to increase childminder agencies, reports reveal.
Childminder agencies will be given a greater role within the early years sector, reports suggest PHOTO Adobe Stock
Childminder agencies will be given a greater role within the early years sector, reports suggest PHOTO Adobe Stock

According to the Telegraph, Truss is to ‘drive the creation of new childminder agencies under a French-style system to reduce the cost of childcare’.

In a story published at the weekend, the paper states, ‘Agencies could be given public money to grow, while childminders could be released from individual Ofsted inspections, with regulation by the watchdog focusing on the agencies instead. Childminders could also be given permission to work from council homes.’

Currently, many social housing tenants are not allowed to run a childminding business from their property.

It goes on to include ‘a source familiar with discussion’, who states, "It (childminder agencies) is one of the few areas where you can make big reforms that don’t cost the Government money, but actually have a really positive impact.

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