not to publish the results of a key early years consultation, which
included plans to raise child: adult ratios in early years settings,
following an appeal by the union Unison, Nursery World can exclusively
reveal.
![](/media/fwcdjjva/12175436.jpg?width=1002&height=668&bgcolor=White&v=1da4d7370cbc070)
Unison had challenged the Department's decision not to publish the consultation's findings via a Freedom of Information request.
The DfE had only agreed to publish a breakdown of the number and type of respondents, which showed that 1,394 responses were received.
Responding to Unison's initial FOI request, the DfE said that it was deemed not 'in the public interest' to publish the results of the consultation on early education and staff deployment.
It also said that it had decided against publishing because to do so would be 'likely to have a corrosive effect on the conduct of good Government.'
Now after Unison's appeal against the decision, the DfE has considered the case again and has concluded that the 'public interest was finely balanced'.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here