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The official e-petition against government proposals to relax ratios for two-year-olds was debated in Westminster Hall yesterday.

The e-petition ,started by Zoe and Lewis Steeper, whose son Oliver tragically died after an incident at a nursery, reached 100,000 signatures on 28 September which meant it could be considered for debate in parliament.

The debate was led by Catherine McKinnell MP for Newcastle North and chair of the House of Commons Petition Committee. McKinnell stated there was “genuine apprehension” from parents, providers and experts surrounding the proposed changes and said it would “jeopardise the quality and safety” of early years education and care. She told MPs that, when research ahead of the debate, she was unable to find a single expert who was in favour of the government’s proposals.

Later in the debate Justin Tomlinson, Conservative MP for North Swindon questioned how settings would be able to cope with the changes: “It is all about quality, and I cannot see single argument that changing ratios would improve quality”.

A “nightmare” for providers

MPs also highlighted the negative impact that these changes will have on the early years work force. Steve Brine MP for Winchester said it “will only increase the pressure and stress within the workforce, and more of these vital workers will leave the sector, which already faces a recruitment and retention crisis”. Brine also referenced a letter he recently received from an early educator who said the changes to ratios “gave her nightmares”.

Cost savings questioned

Attendees also questioned the government’s claim that the proposals will save parents money and called on the Department for Education to show their “workings-out” to support this. Shadow early years minister Helen Hayes said there is “no evidence” the changes will save money. Meanwhile, Munira Wilson, Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham and education spokesperson for the early years said stating that ratios will save parents money is a “red herring”.

“Simply no case to change ratios”

In response to the debate Claire Coutinho, the early years minister who was announced in the role last week, did not confirm whether the government will implement ratio changes. She said the government will publish the results of the consultation alongside its evidence detailing the impact the changes will have on families and providers.

Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, commented: “It is extremely frustrating that more than two months since the consultation has closed, the government has still not reached a decision on whether or not to listen to the deafening and united opposition from the sector and families alike against plans to relax early years ratios. 

“The government knows, that relaxing ratios will do untold damage to the sector, and yet ministers continue to waste time and resources on this unsafe, ridiculous and ill-thought-out proposal. 

“The arguments put forward in this afternoon’s debate clearly showed there is simply no case to change ratios. As such, we hope against hope the government will finally recognise that far from solving the so-called ‘childcare crisis’, relaxing ratios will only make an already-dire situation even worse. 

“Time and time again the sector has urged the government to rethink this policy, but so far, these calls have fallen on deaf ears. We once again urge the government to rethink this retrograde policy as a matter of urgency, before it does irreparable and catastrophic damage to the early years sector.”