This report by Policy Exchange shows that childcare costs in the United Kingdom are some of the highest in the developed world, and they have been persistently so.
Within its report, Policy Exchange says that 'good settings' wanting to further relax ratios should be able to do so, but with Ofsted approval.
It explains that this could be accomplished by changing wording in EYFS guidance from allowing settings to relax ratios "in exceptional circumstances" to 'where there is a legitimate educational or developmental aim.'
The report, which argues that Government should take steps to reform the childcare market, also recommends children of nursery staff or childminders not be included in the overall ratio. For childminders, specifically it says that they should be ‘compensated’ for looking after relatives that are not ‘direct relations’, who make use of their services and count towards ratios.’ It argues that if childminders are unable to receive Government funding for related children, then these children shouldn’t be included within ratio.
It goes on to promote childminder agencies as the way forward for increasing the number of childminders within the sector, referring to the Netherlands where it says the model has been very successful.