Engagement report – parental childcare sufficiency project

Overview

Executive summary

This is a statutory, annual survey of current and potential childcare users. This year it was open for four weeks.
It was very widely promoted to news outlets and partners, social media, staff, the public and councillors (who were also invited to share the information locally).
The last survey in 2022 received approximately 1,500 responses. This year it has received 1,893 responses, almost 26% more.
There were 1,893 respondents, of which 228 had children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND).
Most respondents, 68%, felt they had sufficient childcare to meet their current needs.
The vast majority of those who felt they needed more childcare required after-school club places or holiday clubs.
The cost of childcare was the most prohibitive factor.
Over a thousand respondents, 1,380 (78%), did not know about the Family Services Directory as an online source of childcare.
The majority, 1,680 (96%) were also unaware of the childcare gap form to inform Lincolnshire County Council of gaps in childcare provision.
The most frequently made comment related to a lack of availability of childcare followed by the cost.

Introduction

The local authority has a duty to secure sufficient childcare to meet the demands of parents who work or wish to study or train. (Childcare Act 2006).

The Early years and childcare team has undertaken a parental survey as part of the statutory annual Childcare Sufficiency Assessment 2023.

The parent survey was published on Let’s talk Lincolnshire for parents or carers of children under 19 years of age to provide their views and experience of childcare in Lincolnshire.

The aim was to find out if the needs for childcare are being met across Lincolnshire. The service wanted to know if parents can access the childcare provision they need and when and where they need it. The information will help the team to plan new services that will benefit parents and children.

The page included useful links for help with:

Childcare costs
Information on Lincolnshire's local offer for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and their families

Additionally, there was an audit survey on SNAP (information gathering survey) to childcare providers to provide information about their services.

The results from both surveys will formulate a report which will be shared with Lincolnshire County Council’s Directorate Leadership Team (DLT) in July 2023. Additionally, the results will feed into the Childcare delivery plan 2023-2025, which will be shared with DLT for approval in July.

Stakeholders

Public – Anyone who uses or is planning to use childcare services in Lincolnshire.

Methodology

A survey was open to the public on the homepage of Let’s talk Lincolnshire for four weeks from 24 April to 21 May 2023. The dates of this survey ran parallel to an audit that was being completed by childcare service providers.

Promotion was carried out via various methods:

News releases were sent out to local media outlets
Social media messages were sent out on the following pages: Lincolnshire County Council, Children’s Centres, Maternity Hub, 0-18 Children Health
An article was put in the Town and Parish Council newsletter
Email newsletters sent to childcare settings, children’s clubs, childcare groups, DWP contact, Let’s talk Lincolnshire registered participants, Lincolnshire Council for Voluntary Youth Services, Children’s Links, the LCC Ethnic Minority and Traveller Education team, YMCA Lincolnshire, LCVS/VCS, Shine network, Lincolnshire Military Veterans and Families Wellbeing Network, local health and wellbeing networks
Messages were sent through the internal communications newsletter to all staff
Email message to all councillors, asking them to help raise awareness of the survey and circulate the page link to their networks

Findings and conclusions

Findings

The project page had 6,002-page visitors. Of that number, 2,737 people clicked for further information and 1,881 of them completed 1,893 surveys. This is a 31% visitor to respondent conversion rate which is positive. Most respondents used an email link they had received directly (1,462) or came from social media (330). This reflects the way the survey was promoted.
Of the 1,893 respondents, 1,752 (92.6%) did use childcare services and 141 (7.4%) did not use or intend to use any childcare services in Lincolnshire.
The highest number of responses (264) came from parents or carers living in South Kesteven. 226 from those in North Kesteven, 204 in West Lindsey, 160 in East Lindsey, 152 responses from South Holland, 151 from the City of Lincoln. The lowest (56) number of responses came from parents or carers in Boston.
Most of the parents or carers responding (963) had children aged 4-11 primary school age and the parents of children aged 16-18 years old (17) were the least represented.
When asked if their child had special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) - 228 (15%) parents or carers said yes.
Of these 228 parents or carers, 94 (42%) felt that the needs of their child or children with additional needs were not fully met and this was a barrier to accessing childcare provision.
In response to the question ‘Have you been able to access all the childcare that you need?’ 1,191 respondents (68%) felt they didn’t need any extra childcare and 561 (32%) wanted extra childcare.
Those 561 respondents were then asked what extra childcare they would like. The highest requests were for afterschool clubs and holiday clubs. With 238 and 235 requests, respectively. Day nursery was next with 155 requests followed by breakfast clubs (151), access to a childminder (134), preschool or playgroup (68), school nursery place (65) and home childcare or nanny (31). (Respondents could tick more than one option).
When asked about how they find information about childcare in their area, the majority (1,154) said that they use the internet, followed by almost 1,100 use word of mouth. Only 92 responses stated that they use noticeboards.
Availability was the main barrier highlighted by respondents to accessing the current childcare provision. Followed by cost and lack of wraparound care.
When analysing SEND comments, almost all (93.8%, 76) provided a negative response, three respondents (3.7%) provided a mixed response and two (2.5%) provided a neutral response.
The most frequently made comment related to a lack of any services for children with SEND (55, almost two in three), followed by a lack of funding (17).
A lack of local or any provision, funding for very minimal hours, mental health services or buildings and services that are equipped to accept children with specific needs were all highlighted. Alongside more training for staff, prohibitive costs, and the impact on parental and children’s wellbeing.
When asked if they were accessing tax-free childcare, 906 said they were. 834 replied that they weren’t.
Of the 834 that replied, 452 (54%) said they were not eligible, 201 (24%) were not aware of the benefits and 181 (22%) had other reasons for not claiming this benefit. Most people not accessing tax free childcare said this was due to claiming Universal Credit.
Over a thousand respondents, 1,380 (78%), did not know about the Family Services Directory as an online source of childcare.
The majority, 1,680 (96%) were also unaware of the childcare gap form to inform Lincolnshire County Council of gaps in childcare provision.

Conclusions and next steps

This survey was published at the same time as a childcare sufficiency survey, gathering data from all current childcare providers in Lincolnshire
Analysis is now underway to interpret all feedback received from both the parent and the provider surveys.
An internal report will be written and presented to Lincolnshire County Council’s directorate leadership team and councillors, with recommendations. Following approval it will be available on our support for childcare providers page.
The childcare delivery strategy will be updated. The strategy outlines the next steps that ensure the local authority meets their statutory duties to secure sufficient childcare to meet the demands of parents that work, study or train.