An unpalatable tale

I'm so glad my childrearing days were pre-Supernanny. Jo Frost would have made mincemeat of my wishy-washy parenting.

But even I know that infants do not always recognise what is best for them.

So I have every sympathy with the Evening Post letter writer today who told how an Ofsted inspector criticised a childminder for reading a story with one of her charges. Apparently, this was wrong because it was an adult-initiated activity rather than a child-led one.

What makes it still more ludicrous is that the book in question was Eric Carle's excellent and educational The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

But even if the tot had been plonked in front of In the Night Garden, who is the inspector to say this was not the right activity for that child at that time?

Many parents choose to use childminders rather than nurseries or other daycare precisely because the care can be tailored to the individual child rather than having to meet the needs of a large group.

Of course it is essential that childminding is regulated and that practitioners have the chance for regular training and information just like other childcare professionals.

But the idea that they should have to slavishly adhere to an early years curriculum is crazy. Childminders provide a home from home – so does this mean parents too must follow a child-led programme of improving activities?

As our correspondent says, it's no wonder the city council is finding it harder to recruit childminders.

Perhaps it's time for the children's policymakers to sit on the naughty step ...