Introduction
Why we conducted this survey
Every year, Lincolnshire County Council checks whether there’s enough childcare available for families who need it. This is part of our legal duty under the Childcare Act 2006.
In 2025, we asked parents and carers across Lincolnshire:
- can you find the childcare you need?
- is it available when and where you need it?
- what challenges do you face?
We also asked childcare providers about their services, so we could compare both sides.
How we did it
The survey was open to all parents and carers of children under 11 years old. It was hosted on the Let’s talk Lincolnshire website and included helpful links about:
- childcare costs
- local family services and activities
- support for children with special needs
This year, we focused more closely on different age groups and the specific issues families face at each stage. In particular, the expansion in funded hours for all working families with children from 9 months to school age and out of school childcare for school aged children.
How we promoted it
We promoted the survey widely through:
- social media (for example, Lincolnshire County Council, children’s centres)
- newsletters to schools, nurseries, and community groups
- emails to councillors and staff
- local news and community networks
The results will help us plan better childcare services and update our childcare delivery strategy to meet families’ needs.
Who was involved - stakeholders
To make sure we heard from a wide range of voices, we shared the survey with many different groups, including:
- parents and carers across Lincolnshire
- local councillors
- Lincolnshire County Council staff
- community groups and children’s centres
- ethnic minority and traveller education team
- the general public
We also encouraged these groups to share the survey with others in their networks.
How we collected the information - methodology
We ran the survey for four weeks, from 17 February to 18 March 2025, on the Let’s talk Lincolnshire website.
We also ran a separate survey for childcare providers at the same time, so we could compare what families need with what services are available.