Nursery World - Concerns childminders will cease to exist as DfE survey reveals a 5 per cent drop in childcare providers

The latest DfE Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey shows the number of early years providers has fallen by 5 per cent in a year, mainly driven by a loss of 3,200 childminders.

The latest DfE data shows the drop in childcare providers is largely down to a loss of thousands of childminders in a 12-month period, PHOTO: Adobe Stock

The survey confirms Ofsted data, published last month, which revealed that the number of early years providers and places has fallen in the past year, and highlights a continuing decline in the number of childminders.

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The Early Years Alliance warned that if the drop in childminders continues, the profession will 'eventually cease to exist'.

Despite a fall in the number of childminders and childminding assistants, the DfE findings show overall there has been a rise in the number of staff working in the sector.

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