The charity has cautioned that Rishi Sunak’s proposal to increase childcare options in England may not meet the expectations of parents, as nursery expenses rise and spots become scarce.
According to the latest annual survey conducted by the Coram Family and Childcare charity, the cost of childcare for a child under two, totaling 25 hours per week, has increased by 7% since 2023. Inner London was found to be the most expensive area, with an average weekly cost of £218.
Thirty-four percent of Councils in England have enough available childcare, which is a 14% decrease compared to the previous year. Additionally, 35% of councils have adequate spaces for children under the age of two.
The survey found that there has been a decrease in available childcare options for children with disabilities. Only 6% of councils reported having enough spaces, which is a decrease of 12 percentage points from 2023.
The study discovered a decrease in provision for parents with non-traditional work schedules, specifically 7% less, and for families living in rural areas, with a decrease of 14%.
The prime minister’s prominent childcare expansion program will gradually increase existing childcare benefits beginning in April. The goal is to provide 30 hours of childcare support to a majority of working families with children under five by September 2025.
According to Ellen Broome, who is the managing director of Coram, the upcoming expansion of childcare assistance starting in April has the ability to profoundly impact parents throughout the nation. Many have struggled with high childcare expenses and have even been unable to work due to these costs.
”
“Our results, which reveal increased expenses and significant decreases in the number of available childcare options, are worrisome during this critical period. They highlight the magnitude of the obstacles and the actual hazards surrounding the potential failure of this policy to meet the expectations of parents.”
If this policy is not adequately funded and backed, it could have a negative impact by causing families to be unable to afford or access necessary childcare. This could potentially result in the most disadvantaged children being excluded from such services.
The Coram report showed that councils are worried about how to implement the increase in free early education offerings, and how it will affect the number of available childcare spaces.
Bypass the newsletter promotion.
after newsletter promotion
Approximately 63% of councils in England expressed confidence in having sufficient places to accommodate the upcoming expansion of 15 free hours for two-year-olds. However, only 28% conveyed the same level of confidence for the expansion in September 2024, which will offer 15 free hours for children as young as nine months old. This percentage dropped significantly to just 12% for the September 2025 expansion, which will provide 30 free hours for nine-month-old children.
According to Coram, the majority of councils have identified the local childcare workforce as a hindrance to the successful implementation of the 30 hours free entitlements by 2025. This suggests that there are significant difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff.
A representative from the Department for Education stated that we have trust in the resilience of our childcare industry to continue expanding. Our rates for funding the new entitlements have been evaluated by the IFS (Institute for Fiscal Studies thinktank) and found to be significantly higher than the market rates. Additionally, we have ensured a continued increase in funding for the next two years by estimating an extra £500 million, along with a nationwide recruitment campaign and a pilot program offering a £1,000 cash incentive to attract new staff to the sector.
“Prior to these actions, there was already an increase in the number of both early childhood facilities and staff members from 2023 compared to five years prior. However, the number of children aged 0-5 has seen a decline each year between 2018 and 2022.”
Source: theguardian.com
