Agenda item

Childcare Sufficiency Assessment 2021-22

Report of the Group Director of People

Minutes:

The Group Director of People submitted a report (previously circulated) to inform Members of the findings of the 2021-22 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.

 

From early June 2020 when providers were again able to admit children other than those whose parents were key workers or vulnerable children, the number of pre-school children attending provision rose and by the end of the Summer 2020 term there were 263 pre-school children in attendance.  In comparison, by the end of the Summer 2021 term there were 839 pre-school children in attendance in childcare although this figure had reached a high of 1,413 by the end of May 2021 and the figure in early December 2021 was 1,117.

 

It was also reported that there were periodic short-term closures within the sector due to the pandemic but these were minimal and by the Autumn 2021 term, 1,696 children were accessing an Early Years Entitlements place compared with 1,587 children accessing a funded place in Autumn 2019.

 

During this pandemic, support continued to be provided to the childcare sector via: regular guidance up-dates; virtual network meetings; public health provider briefings, 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 around transitions; setting link officers and an Early Years newsletter.

 

Additionally, a childcare sufficiency task group meets regularly which includes colleagues from Economic Growth, the Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS), Darlington Association on Disability (DAD), Jobcentre Plus, Learning & Skills, Darlington Families’ Information Service and Children’s Centres.

 

It was also reported that providers had indicated that recruitment and retention was an issue; and following consultation with the Darlington Parent/Carer Forum in Summer 2021 it was agreed that up-dated marketing information, sign-posting parents to sources of information about different types of local, registered, inclusive childcare across the borough could be shared.

 

Providers were facing uncertainty with regard to childcare demand, early years entitlements and parent paid income as families’ circumstances change, however it was reported that Indicators showed that there had been sufficient capacity to meet demand throughout this period, however any unmet demand will be continually monitored to ensure that parents are able to access training and work in the coming months and years.

 

Members discussed affordability issues and the worrying financial situation for providers; the national retention and recruitment problems and general uncertainty in the settings; and insufficient funding from other sources to ensure the providers are in a position to meet future demand.

 

Members also discussed areas of the borough where they felt that sufficiency was not meeting demand and requested further information be brought to Members at a future date regarding demographical/community data.

 

RESOLVED – That the information and findings of the 2021/22 Childcare Sufficiency Review be noted.

 

 

Supporting documents: