Lancashire County Council has written to the Education Secretary with concerns it will not be able to provide sufficient childcare places if early years settings there continue to close.
According to Sharon Alexander, owner of Rosy Apple Childcare and a member of Lancashire Schools Forum, since the 30 hours came in, 11 nurseries have closed – including one of her own settings – or are due to close by the end of March. The reasons for the closures are mainly down to ‘poor funding’.
Within the council’s letter, its cabinet member for children, young people and schools, Susie Charles, and chair of the Education Scrutiny Committee, Christian Wakeford, ask Education Secretary Damian Hinds to review the Early Years National Funding Formula to ensure money is distributed more evenly across the country.
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