Oliver Steeper: Bereaved parents criticise childcare ratio change

Nine-month-old Oliver died in hospital in September, five days after he choked at a day nursery in Ashford

The parents of a baby who died after choking on food at a nursery say plans to change childcare ratios are unsafe.

This week's budget included a change to minimum staff-to-child ratios from 1:4 to 1:5 for two-year-olds in England.

Oliver Steeper's parents began campaigning against the plans last May.

Their son died in 2021 days after the emergency at Jelly Beans Day Nursery in Ashford, Kent. The government said the change would give providers more flexibility while maintaining safety.

Lewis Steeper, Oliver's father, said: "We both sat and we were completely dismayed. I don't understand how the government themselves can even fathom that this is safe. It's one less pair of eyes."

As the plans were announced, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said the change would be "optional".

Supporters of the idea said it would help cut costs for parents, but the Early Years Alliance said relaxing ratios was a "shameful decision" which risked compromising safety and quality of care as well as putting more pressure on the workforce.

The Oliver Steeper Foundation, which was set up by Oliver's parents after his death, tweeted the plans put children "at significant risk".

Zoe and Lewis Steeper campaigned against the planned ratio change

Last year, the family campaigned against the plans with a petition that gained 109,488 signatures and was debated in parliament.

Responding to the petition at the time, the government said the move brought England in line with Scotland, adding: "We have no evidence to suggest that the Scottish model is unsafe, and evidence shows high parental satisfaction rates."

Mr Steeper said Scotland was "a completely different framework". He said: "It's a different stretch, different structure, it's different pay, it's different everything."

The Department for Education (DfE) said the health and safety of children was always its utmost priority.

Jelly Beans Day Nursery had its registration suspended by Ofsted and has since closed.

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