Summary
The development of childcare places has remained steady since the last reporting period. This academic year (2023 to 2024) has again 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.
| Availability | Childminders | Full day care |
|---|---|---|
| Opened | 45 | 28 |
| Closed | 57 | 37 |
| Difference | -12 | -9 |
Where provision has closed, this has been monitored at a local level for potential sufficiency impact. Local solutions have been implemented.
There continues to be a drive within the support service to:
- recruit childminders into the market, and
- encourage a career in childcare more broadly
To date there have been 27 new childminders in Lincolnshire who have taken advantage of the payments. Our web pages have been specifically designed to deliver key messages across professionals and partners regarding working in childcare.
Recruitment and retention within the childcare workforce remain a concern for:
- development of places, and
- sustainability across the childcare market in Lincolnshire
If staff recruitment and retention does not improve, the risks are:
- 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
The Government has:
- re-introduced childminder start-up grants
- launched a national campaign in early 2024 to support a career in childcare
This includes potential apprenticeship schemes, encouraging more people into the childcare market. This should all contribute to sector workforce growth.
The sufficiency assessment shows that Lincolnshire is in a good position in most areas. However, there is a need to develop more places to meet new demand over the coming year. The sector is eager to use grant funding to expand their provision and create more places.
We currently have 36 development enquiries from providers. We will continue to monitor and be responsive to the needs of the childcare market.
Through national research, it is accepted that staffing and low levels of funding are closely linked. The funding increases in September 2023 and April 2024 have helped support the recruitment and retention of qualified staff in the sector.