The father of a nine-month-old boy who died after choking on food at nursery says changes to childcare settings announced in the Chancellor's budget pose "a massive safeguarding risk" to children.

Lewis and Zoe Steeper lost their son Oliver, who was being cared for at Jelly Beans Day Nursery in Ashford, in September 2021 when he became unable to breathe while eating.

He was taken to hospital and died six days later.

In his latest budget announced on Wednesday, the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, spoke of a number of changes to childcare settings including changing staff ratios from one adult per four children, to one adult per five children.

He also announced 30 hours of free childcare for all under-fives from the moment maternity care ends, which will cost an extra £4 billion.

But Mr Steeper says while this sounds good, the changes will "not make a single difference" as nurseries will have to address the costs.

He also said changing staff ratios will put children at risk while putting more pressure on staff.

"It sounds good, and yes parents get 30 hours free, but the nursery has to pay the deficit because the government is not fully funding the places," he said.

"I don’t understand how nurseries should be left with a deficit when the majority are looking at closing because they are already financially burdened because of the lack of funding over numerous years.

"Unfortunately this £4 billion they are putting into the pot is not going to make a single difference."

Speaking on changes to staff ratios, he added: "I don’t understand how the government thinks taking a staff member out of a room would somehow pass cost savings onto parents.

"We spoke to hundreds of nurseries over the past two years during our campaign to stop these changes and not a single one of them said they would implement it, even if it went ahead.

"It poses a massive safeguarding risk on children and puts them at significant risk.

"We need eyes on children from nine months onwards to two years.

"I just wish that the government would come and spend a day in a nursery and see how people who work in these settings actually deal with these children.

"They are underpaid, overworked, and they have been abandoned by the government for years.

"We made the government shelve the plans once, and we can do it again."