Opinion: The changes we really need

Nursery operators have been taking part in a Government consultation on the future cost of registration with Ofsted, together with proposed changes in the way nurseries meet statutory requirements for vetting staff.

The first issue is simply one of fees - Ofsted is seeking to raise the cost of registration so the sector makes a fairer contribution to the cost of actually running the operation. While I have little problem with the need for such an increase, especially given that our current contribution only meets around 5 per cent of their running costs, I would like changes to also include the standardisation of the inspection process - which will only come to pass when greater training is given to inspectors.

For example, the official grading encompasses the rather unsatisfactory title of 'satisfactory', hardly likely to instill confidence in parents. And why is it that the first conversation some inspectors have with the manager involves the statement, 'I do not believe in ever giving "outstanding"'?

By all means, make sure the grade 'outstanding' is not devalued. But let us have inspections that reflect clear and objective levels set for each grade, so both operators and parents will be able to have confidence in the system.

The second proposed change has to do with the removal of vetting subsidies for CRB checks. Here my point is not so much to do with the resulting increase in the costs but the proposed redistribution of this income to local authorities. Under such a scheme, local authorities will be able to redistribute these funds according to the general childcare requirement for their area.

However, have we not already established through discrepancies in the distribution of the NEG that some local authorities are cavalier, perhaps even highly partisan, in the way they treat income of this nature, especially with regard to the private sector?

Alan Bentley is chairman of the Childcare Corporation.