The Chair of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee introduced the report of the report of the Childcare Sufficiency Review Group (previously circulated) presenting the outcome of the Review Group established to gain a better understanding of childcare sufficiency and the general supply of childcare within the Borough and the barriers to provision.
The Chair of the Scrutiny Committee reported that the review group recognised that there were no immediate concerns around overall sufficiency, however, the Childcare Act 2006 placed a duty on Council’s to provide support to secure, as far as reasonably practicable, sufficient childcare to meet the requirements of parents in their area. This support could include financial support or could enable it to provide childcare itself if no other provider was willing to do so. From the information available, the Review Group felt that the Council was not doing everything reasonably practicable to provide childcare for a number of families around the Borough who required it.
RESOVLED – (a) That assistance in communicating the availability of jobs in the childcare sector, be provided, including the communication of jobs in Events Planning, Jobs Initiatives, Publications and Digital communication.
(b) That the local Members of Parliament be made aware of the concerns highlighted by Members of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee with regard to the provision of sufficient childcare to meet the needs of families.
REASON - To ensure that the local authority is discharging its statutory duty to secure sufficient childcare to meet the requirements of parents in the area.