Over the next 12 months local authorities across England will be assessing how well local childcare provision meets market demand. Any gaps between what parents want and what childcare providers currently supply will be analysed. The outcomes will feed into action plans, influencing the targeting of discretionary funding and resources.
A Legal Requirement
The Childcare Act 2006 requires local authorities to secure sufficient childcare provision for local working parents with children up to the age of 14 (or 17 for disabled children). Authorities must carry out a sufficiency assessment of all the childcare in their area at least every three years with the next assessments due in April 2011.
Assessments involve a number of steps:
- - Measure parent/carer demand for childcare using large-scale survey research and information on population, social and economic trends.
- - Measure supply based on information from local childcare providers.
- - Analyse any gaps between supply and demand.
- - Produce and consult on a draft assessment of childcare sufficiency.
- - Publish a final Childcare Sufficiency Assessment.
Gap analysis
Assessments consider a wide range of factors such as:
- - Geographical Gaps: where a specific area or neighbourhood has a general shortage of childcare provision;
- - Income Gaps: where there is a shortage of affordable childcare in relation to the income of local residents;
- - Specific Need Gaps: where there is a shortage of suitable places for children with specific needs or requirements such as children with a disability, children from particular faiths or community groups;
- - Time Gaps: where there is a shortage of childcare at a time that parents need it;
- - Age Gaps: where there is a shortage of childcare for a certain age group; and
- - Type Gaps: where there is a shortage in the type of childcare preferred by parents.
Assessments result in action plans of what the local authority and its partners are going to do to address any gaps identified. This could involve, for example, activities to promote and stimulate take-up of childcare, tackle barriers for specific groups within the community, support specific quality improvements, improve sustainability and, in some cases, stimulate growth in supply.
(The bullet points above were adapted from the Department for Children, Families and Schools' 'Draft Childcare Sufficiency and Assessment Guidance 2010').
How can you get involved?
Local authorities depend on childcare providers to give accurate and up-to-date information on places and occupancy levels. Make sure the assessment reflects the reality of what is happening on the ground by providing timely, accurate information on your settings.
If you feel there is room for improvement in the way data is collected, put your views and ideas forward - poor information on supply could lead to market adjustments that impact on your business.
Assessments are also a useful resource for your business - they contain information on the profile of the market in your area and can help you identify opportunities to address market gaps.
- Further information: www.ceeda.co.uk
- Guidance for local authorities: http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails &PageMode=publications&ProductId=DCSF-00274-2010&