Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Ofsted’s inspection framework on the wellbeing of early-years staff.

​​The department sets the standards and statutory requirements that all early years providers in England must meet. Ofsted is an independent non-ministerial government department, and as the regulator for early years provision, holds responsibility for inspection and operational impact. We recognise concerns raised by the sector regarding wellbeing and know there is still more to be done. We know that children thrive when they are cared for by confident, well-trained educators who feel valued. This means attracting, training and keeping great staff, and making sure they are valued and supported throughout their careers, with more support from day one.

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​We have developed the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter which sets out commitments from the department, Ofsted, schools and colleges to protect and promote staff wellbeing. The charter can be used to inform a whole school or college approach to wellbeing. Over 4,300 schools and colleges have signed up.

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​The department also signposts to mental health and wellbeing resources for education staff, this includes Education Support’s free, confidential 24-hour helpline for staff working in education