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Press Release

PANN STATEMENT ON CHILDCARE BILL

8 November 2005

The Professional Association of Nursery Nurses (PANN) has welcomed publication of the Childcare Bill today (8 November 2005).

Commenting on the Early Years Foundation Stage proposals, Tricia Pritchard, Senior Professional Officer (PANN), said "We hope that this will be age-appropriate and flexible as young children develop at different rates. Children of the same age have different abilities."

Deborah Lawson, Chairman of the PANN Section Committee said: "It is important to find the right balance and not have unrealistic expectations of what young children can achieve. Research has indicated the dangers of introducing formal education too early as this can lead to disaffection in later years.

"Prescriptive formal education can be too much too early for children under five.

"Most European countries start formal education much later than in the UK.

"However, a Foundation Stage that is flexible and able to take account of the different development rates of children would be welcome.

"It must be a strong foundation that children can build on and learn from for the rest of their lives.

"We would welcome measures to improve childcare and early years education as long as they were appropriate for young children."

PANN has also welcomed the main provisions of the Childcare Bill.

Commenting on the provision for the Ofsted Childcare Register to be compulsory for providers for children from age five to eight, Senior Professional Officer Tricia Pritchard said: "We are delighted that the youngest and most vulnerable children will be protected by a compulsory register, although we would like to see the voluntary registration for children up to 14 made compulsory too.

"We would also like to see the current voluntary Childcare Approval Scheme for nannies providing home-based childcare extended and made compulsory.

"We will need to study the details, but PANN welcomes the main aims and provisions of the proposed Childcare Bill, particularly its emphasis on qualifications and standards. We are pleased that the Government has formally recognised the importance of childcare."



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