The environment for attracting and encouraging new providers into the childcare sector is currently quite frightening. It seems that there are few fixed points and little guidance for the future. But the situation is not quite as difficult as it seems at first glance.
Local authorities (LAs) are in the process of completing their second full Childcare Sufficiency Assessment, ready for publication by 31 March 2011. If the last time is anything to go by, many LAs will conclude that there are insufficient places to meet demand. This is even more likely, given two recent pieces of evidence:
Some local authorities will be tempted to respond to this apparent gap in the supply of childcare by launching initiatives to boost the number of providers and/or the number of places in the local area. Before doing so, there are three main pitfalls that local authorities - and childcare providers - should beware:
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