Agenda item

Report of the Acting Director of Children and Adult Services

The Acting Director Children and Adults Services submitted a report (previously circulated) to inform Members of the findings of the 2020-21 Childcare Sufficiency Review.

Local authorities are required by the Department for Education’s ‘Early Education and Childcare Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities June 2018’ to ensure sufficient childcare as far as is reasonably practicable, for working parents, or parents who are studying or training for employment, for children aged 0-14 or up to 18 for disabled children;  and to report annually to elected Members on how they are meeting their duty to secure sufficient childcare and to make this report available and accessible to parents.

It was reported that the childcare market in Darlington was made up of private day nurseries, pre-schools, childminders, out of school clubs, nursery schools and nursery units.  Prior to March 2020, Darlington’s childcare market was fairly stable and the parental take-up rates of the various entitlements was predictable.

As a result of the pandemic, on 23 March 2020, the government instructed the country to lockdown and schools and childcare settings were asked to remain open for children of key workers and vulnerable children.  It was reported that as a result of much reduced demand, by 24April, 48 per cent of the private and voluntary settings remained open (including 24 childminders with vacancies) and both nursery schools and nursery units were also open and providers tried to remain open wherever possible.  There were 142 pre-school children in attendance.

It was also reported that from 1 June, the number of open providers increased and the number of children accessing a place rose and a higher proportion of early years providers remained open in Darlington than nationally. By 11 June, 93 per cent of private and voluntary providers and 67 per cent of childminders were open in Darlington and that borough-wide there had been sufficient capacity to meet demand throughout this period; and by 29 September 2020 all providers temporarily closed had re-opened and 69 per cent of children were accessing an early years entitlement place in Autum 2019.

During the pandemic support was provided to the childcare sector via: regular guidance up-dates; virtual network meetings; public health provider briefings, the delivery of PPE; weekly Q & A sessions with public health; an early years strategy group; a group for early years leads in schools; virtual inclusion panels and individualised support for transition.  A childcare sufficiency task group was also established and parental views regarding the childcare sector were sought and 643 parents responded which showed general parental satisfaction with childcare in the borough and that childcare is a good quality.

It was reported that parents had indicated some potential areas of dissatisfaction which included the cost and flexibility of childcare and access to childcare for school aged children and young people with disabilities; and the uncertainties created by the pandemic have made childcare demand more difficult to predict and more targeted research will establish what requirements are not being met from the market for children with disabilities and for parents that require flexibility ie. shift workers; and the local authority are engaging with providers to ensure sufficiency of places over the coming months and work the sector to assist with sustainability.

The Chair highlighted that insufficiency of places for those children with disability/ respite care and those carers living in poverty had been identified for a number of years and questioned the role of the local authority in working with providers to supply or commission these places.

The Head of Education and Inclusion confirmed that further work was required  to work with organisations to ensure sufficiency in the market of child care places for families with children with disabilities to be able to access training and employment opportunities.

Members expressed their concerns in relation to the sufficiency of places as we come out of the pandemic and the lost capacity from the childcare market as some have gone out of business during the pandemic and how viable the market is going forward and how this will affect parent and carers as they go back to work; and to the lack of places for families with children who have special education need and how the authority can provide sufficiency and guarantee supply in the future.

Members questions related to the take up of Early Years Funding in 2019 and the reasons for a 4 per cent shortfall and also how the drop in birth rate will impact the market.

The Head of Education and Inclusion reported that the latest birth projections showed a 20 year low in birth rate which will impact the service.  He advised Members that the submitted report was pandemic focused and agreed that the longer term impact and sufficiency of the market moving forward was key.

With regard to the funding system he acknowledged that from sectors perspective it was difficult to navigate and advised that Central government had put in place steps to address this and due to the uncertain market both nationally and locally this authority had set up the Early Years Strategic Group to facilitate direct discussions with providers across all types of settings and to discuss how the Local Authority  can support them.

Regarding  the take up for nursery places, the Childcare Sufficiency Officer advised that for funded two year olds during 2019 Darlington had around 85 per cent in a place compared to the national average of 72 per cent; and or three and four year olds (universal entitlement there was an average of 95 per cent take up compared to national  between 94 and 96 per cent.   For 30 hours Darlington averages around 600 and 800 children.

With the approval of the Chair, Marjory Knowles, a representative of the Skerne Park Community Enterprise Association attended the meeting and raised two questions in relation to provider representation on the Early Years Strategic Group; and the Early Years underspend reported as £314,663 in the submitted report.

The Head of Education and Inclusion responded that the Early Years Strategic Group was a developing body and was created at the beginning of the pandemic and all providers were invited to partake in the Group by an open invite and confirmed that membership could be looked at again.

With regard to the specific funding gap for those providers serving the most vulnerable, he advised that the reserve was ring fenced for Early Year’s Providers and support to those providers.  Early Years funding provided by the DFE is based on the January census which can fluctuate over the years the reserve is generally used to balance Early Years spend over previous years. 

RESOLVED – That the findings of the 2020-21 Childcare Sufficiency Review be noted.