Sky News

Childcare in the UK is among the most expensive in Europe, with the care for the youngest children the most costly. Full-time care for a toddler costs an ...

Scotland already has a ratio of one adult to five two-year-olds, but in Wales it is one to four - currently the same as England - and there are no plans to change it. "It's about giving those settings the flexibility and the autonomy to make the decision about what's right in terms of quality and safety for their setting." "This is more about flexibility and it's important to stress that this is part of a much wider package." Referring to the French ratio, he said: "That would be a step too far for a number of reasons, and what we are proposing and consulting on is actually a considerably smaller and minor change. In France, where the legal ratio of adults to children is one to eight for two-year-olds, the average price for full-time care is £511, or 26% of the average wage, according to figures published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. But the sector say this is highly unlikely to be the case, and children's minister Will Quince told Sky News the ratio changes alone would not be a "silver bullet or panacea" for family finances in the short-term.