NURSERIES and childcare providers will now get less specific warnings about government inspections.This follows changes to the rules on care standards inspections.

NURSERIES and childcare providers will now get less specific warnings about government inspections.

This follows changes to the rules on care standards inspections.

The changes mean that inspections of nurseries and other childcare for under fives will be warned only which month they will be inspected rather than current provisions which warn them of the day or week of the inspection.

Suffolk Children First, formerly the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership, is now asking that Ofsted inspectors visit nurseries without warning.

Suffolk County Councillor Sue Thomas, chair of the partnership, said: "We are confident that most nurseries and other child care for the under fives in Suffolk is very good.

"But we want parents and carers to be as certain as they can be that their children are getting good care at all times, so it seems to us a better idea to have inspectors turning up at any time.

"Of course, sometimes the childcare staff will be surprised by the arrival of the inspectors, but this system will get rid of all the anxieties and natural lengthy preparations for inspections that staff have to go through currently. "Nurseries and child carers should never have anything to hide from proper inspectors, or indeed from parents."

Suffolk Children First represents individuals and organisations involved with childcare, early education, employment and training in the county.

Weblink: www.suffolkcc.gov.uk

What do you think about the rule changes for care standard inspections? Write in to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.