Guidance

Early years qualifications and ratios

The staff:child ratios regulations that providers working with children at early years foundation stage (EYFS) must follow.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 10 February 2022
• Last updated: 8 December 2023
  Show all updates

  1. 8 December 2023

     Added a link to 'Early years qualification requirements and standards', which you should refer to from 4 January 2024.

  2. 30 March 2023

     Paediatric first aid (PFA) section of 'Early years qualifications and ratios' updated.

  3. 5 September 2022

     Early years qualifications and ratios has been updated with a section on 'Recognition of early years qualifications'.

  4. 10 February 2022

     First published.

This publication was withdrawn on 4 January 2024

From 4 January 2024 please refer to the early years qualification requirements and standards.

Applies to England

Documents

Early years qualifications and ratios

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All early years providers working with children from birth to 5 years old must follow the regulations on early years foundation stage (EYFS) staff:child ratios.

This guidance on early years qualifications and ratios is for:

• early years providers
• those currently working in an early years setting
• those wanting to work in an early years setting

This guidance should be used alongside the overview on checking early years qualifications.