Childcare sufficiency report 2023

The development of childcare places has remained steady since the last reporting period. This academic year (2022 to 2023) has seen a number of closures, in particular childminders.  The table below shows the net opening and closures for childminders and full day care (Ofsted registered provision) across the whole county.

There continues to be a drive within the support service to recruit childminders into the market and encouraging a career in childcare more broadly.  We have specifically designed our web pages to deliver key messages across professionals and partners regarding working in childcare

The Government has re-introduced childminder start-up grants and will be launching a national campaign in early 2024 to support a career in childcare. This includes potential apprenticeship schemes that will encourage more people into the childcare market. This should all contribute to sector workforce growth.

Where provision has closed this has been monitored at a local level for potential sufficiency impact with local solutions having been implemented. This has included where necessary supporting the retention of places with a tender framework.  Since the last report, EYCC have conducted six tenders, successfully appointing providers to operate from LCC properties where needed.

The outcome of the sufficiency assessment has demonstrated that Lincolnshire is in a reasonable position in most areas of the county with some unmet needs in others.

There are the following factors to consider:

• the current workforce crisis is placing additional pressure on the availability of places within the market which are not necessarily demonstrated within the survey data
• it is evident that increased costs have had an impact on childcare sectors ability to maintain places across one or more of the age ranges

This has resulted in increased sustainability concerns across the childcare market in Lincolnshire. The risk is that if staff recruitment and retention does not improve, we may see further closures across all sectors of the childcare market.  The recruitment of suitable staff may become a barrier to the development of new places to meet demand.

Through national research it is well accepted that staffing and low levels of funding are intrinsically linked. We hope the uplifts to the funded rate due September 2023 and April 2024 will support the recruitment and retention of qualified staff into the sector.

We currently have 22 active developments across Lincolnshire. Six of these are in the areas of the county where the need for places is highest.  We will continue to monitor and be responsive to the needs of the childcare market.