Councils in England have outlined their concerns over whether there will be enough childcare places to meet the demand, with just over two months to go until the next phase of major expansion is rolled out.
According to new research from Coram Family and Childcare, 41% of councils are ‘confident’ or ‘very confident’ that there will be enough places to meet the demand for childcare in September, however, this does still leave nearly six in every ten councils unsure if whether the number of places will be sufficient. The amount of confidence that councils have in the final phase of the expansion (September 2025) is even lower than that, with only 11% of councils stating that they are ‘confident’ or ‘very confident’ that there will be sufficient places.
The research has also identified that the biggest concern for the majority (75%) of councils is the local workforce, with this relating to the ongoing issues around the recruitment and retention of staff. This challenge is further reflected in the fact that 53% of councils found that the workforce was a ‘barrier’ or a ‘significant barrier’ in the delivery of the first phase of the rollout.
Other barriers in the successful delivery of phase one include local buildings and spaces, as well as insufficient places for children with special educational needs.
Managing Director of Coram Family and Childcare, Ellen Broomé, said:
“Whilst it is encouraging that councils’ confidence in having enough places for all families who want one this September has gone up since we last asked them, this figure is still worryingly low considering we are just two months away from this second phase of the childcare expansion.
“Today’s follow-up report finds that councils’ previous responses about preparedness for the April 2024 expansion mirror the proportion of families who have been able to access their place. This shows that they have a good understanding of their local situation and their concerns should be listened to.
“Given that just 11% of councils are confident about the final phase of the expansion in September 2025, we are concerned there may be further issues not only this September but further down the line for families in getting the childcare they need. And with three-quarters citing staffing as their number one barrier to the delivery of the expansion, our research reiterates the urgent need for a workforce strategy that addresses the recruitment and retention crisis in the sector.”
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