The government’s expansion of funded childcare for working parents in England could affect the quality of provision or places for young children, Whitehall’s spending watchdog has said. The risk of an influx of “inexperienced” early years staff, alongside higher staff to child supervision ratios for two-year-olds, may jeopardise the quality of childcare provision, according to the National Audit Office (NAO). The findings are part of a report into the government’s expanded offer of funded childcare for working families of younger children in England. The NAO said “uncertainties” remain over whether the sector can expand to deliver enough places amid a lack of qualified staff and suitable space. The next phase of the reforms will be significantly more challenging, with little contingency and flexibility in its ambitious timetable Gareth Davies, the head of the NAO As part of a staggered rollout of the childcare offer, working parents of two-year-olds have been able to access 15 hours of funded childcare this month. This will be extended to working parents of all children older than nine months from September this year, before the full rollout of 30 hours a week to all eligible families a year later. The Department for Education (DfE) has...