With births in 2012 at their highest level since 1970, United for All Ages says that come the general election in 2015, there will be a ‘massive’ shortage of free childcare places for two-, three- and four-year-olds.
A drop in the number of childcare places was highlighted in the latest figures from Ofsted, which revealed a 4,913 reduction in places in the six months to the end of March 2013. The same figures also showed there were 1,054 fewer registered providers.
United for All Ages says that the number of childcare providers has continued to fall since 2009. There are now 56,166 registered childminders down from 60,915 four years ago and the number of nurseries has dropped from 29,458 in 2009 to 27,931.
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