Tony Blair has signalled his support for a Bill proposing the setting up of a national register of nannies and prohibiting childminders in England from being allowed to smack the children in their care.
Mr Blair made his comments during prime minister's questions last Wednesday, in response to a question by Geraint Davies, Labour MP for Croydon Central, who had presented the Regulation of Child Care Providers Bill to the House of Commons two days earlier.
Mr Davies is the local MP for Ken and Libby Osborne, whose eight-month-old son was killed by his childminder, Linda Bayfield, in July 2000. His Bill seeks to change four elements of the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Care Standards Act 2001 - to set up a national register of nannies and make it an offence for a nanny to work with children in England and Wales unless registered; to prevent childminders from being permitted to use corporal punishment on the children in their care; to give parents the right to access the register of complaints on childminders held by Ofsted; and to bring children aged eight to 15 under the protection of the Children Act.
Mr Davies asked Mr Blair if he would 'instigate an urgent review of the laws that protect our children from abusive childminders and nannies and, in particular, give parents the right of access to serious complaints that have been made against childminders? In the case of Ken and Libby Osborne, that would have saved their son Joshua'.
The prime minister replied that the Department for Education and Skills was looking at how to strengthen the regulation of childcarers. He said, 'This case obviously illustrates the need for such a review.'
Explaining his Bill last week, Mr Davies said he wanted to see nanny registration introduced in England as he was 'deeply concerned' that they were now the only form of unregistered and unregulated childcare. He said, 'My Bill calls for a national register of nannies and for it to be an offence for anyone who is not registered to work as a nanny.
'The Bill also prohibits childcare providers from smacking the children in their care, as is the case in Wales and Scotland, and brings those over eight within the scope of current child protection legislation.'
The Bill was welcomed by organisations and charities working towards nanny registration and child protection. Tricia Pritchard, professional officer at the Professional Association of Nursery Nurses, who is a longtime campaigner for nanny registration, said, 'We welcome any efforts by MPs and others to keep the campaign for nanny registration at the forefront and will be making every effort to follow this up with the Department for Education and Skills. We are grateful for Geraint Davies' support in this important matter.'
The National Childminding Association also welcomed the Bill. Chief executive Gill Haynes said, 'We are very pleased to support the Bill and look forward to being involved in further discussions over the coming months.'
The NSPCC's Phillip Noyes said, 'The Bill proposed by Geraint Davies is an important step in safeguarding children in the care of childminders and nannies. We fully support all the elements of this Bill and hope it will lead to positive change.'
Mr Davies, the Osbornes and representatives from the NSPCC have also met with the early years minister, Catherine Ashton, to discuss the matter. The Bill is to receive its second reading in the Commons on 21 June.
