2011 Lincolnshire Childcare Sufficiency Assessment and 2011 Childcare in Lincolnshire – views of children, young people and parents

Lincolnshire County Council has completed a Childcare Sufficiency Assessment, which looks at the availability of childcare in the county, as well as other factors such as affordability, accessibility and inclusivity.

Key findings of the 2011 Lincolnshire Childcare Sufficiency Assessment include:

• 94% of surveyed parents are happy with the care they use
• 86% of surveyed parents say the cost of formal childcare is acceptable for their income
• 94% of surveyed parents using formal childcare are happy with the time it takes them to travel to that care
• 90% of surveyed parents felt that childcare opening hours met their family’s needs
• Overall the county is sufficient in childcare places with some district areas having slightly greater numbers of childcare against population numbers than others

Future recommendations of the report include:

• Monitoring of housing and business developments in each of the district areas along with population in order to plan ahead for childcare places
• Childcare and extended service providers should work together to develop appropriate childcare and accessibility to services
• Improve information about making childcare affordable via employers, benefits agencies and children’s services professionals
• Promotion of the Family Information Service as a means of finding suitable childcare and children’s services
• Work with child carers and extended service providers around flexibility to better meet the working hours of local parents.

The findings of the 2011 Lincolnshire Childcare Sufficiency Assessment  are extremely positive for parents, carers and childcare providers in Lincolnshire and the report will inform future planning and childcare developments for the next few years.

The 2011 Childcare in Lincolnshire – views of children, young people and parents report summarises the views of children, young people and their parents and carers, who were asked for their views on childcare and out of school activities in Lincolnshire. Key recommendations of the report are:

• Children and young people have a voice in the development of new activities
• There should be support for staff to enable disabled children and young people to co-direct what is on offer
• More information should be available for children and young people, especially on financial support for childcare and out of school activities
• Employers to provide information to parents on childcare and out of school activities.

Contact:

Julie Grindley
Principle Practitioner - Quality and Performance
Children’s Services
Lincolnshire County Council
County Offices
Newland
Lincoln
LN1 1YL

Tel. 01522 553400