Petition · Department for Education, Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland

Review staff ratios for educational and early years settings based on need

Open for signatures 50 signatures

What the petition asks

Review existing funding framework across education and early years and introduce guidance that allows ratios to be adjusted based on assessed needs to ensure adequate funding and staffing resources to support differing levels of need.
We also call on the Government to do more to recognise professional judgement in determining safe and effective staffing. We are calling on the government to take action because we believe the current statutory ratio system in early years provision does not reflect the realities of today’s settings or the increasingly complex needs of children. We speak on behalf of many professionals working across the early years sector who are committed to delivering safe, inclusive, and high-quality care and education. In our view, under the current framework, staffing ratios are determined solely by numbers, not by need.

Timeline

16 Feb 2026 Petition opened for signatures

Key facts

Signatures 50
Status Open for signatures
Department Department for Education, Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland
Opened 16 Feb 2026

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 26 Jul 2026.