Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will maintain the staff-child ratio in children's centres for the duration of this Parliament.

Children’s centres have an important role offering families access to a wide range of local, flexible services, tackling disadvantage and preparing children for life in modern Britain. The latest figures show that a majority of centres achieved a rating of good or outstanding overall at their last inspection^[1].

The staffing ratios for all early years childcare providers, including children’s centres, are set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework available online here https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335504/EYFS_framework_from_1_September_2014__with_clarification_note.pdf

The safety of children is of paramount importance and the EYFS is clear that staffing arrangements must ensure the safety and welfare of all children.

[1] Ofsted’s Children's centre inspection outcomes shows 67% of inspected single children’s centres were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection (31 March 2015). The statistics are available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/437736/Children_s_centres_inspections_and_outcomes_January_to_March_2015__provisional_.pdf.