Interim results for Laing & Buisson's Children's Nurseries UK Annual Report have found that demand for childcare rose by between 4 and 5 per cent last year, pushing occupancy levels up to 80 per cent.
Higher occupancy stems from fewer nurseries opening, a high level of closures and greater demand for childcare, made possible by a massive rise in employer funding.
The improved operating conditions pushed the value of the UK childcare market up to £3.8bn, a 7.8 per cent increase on 2006, which saw only a 5 per cent rise.
Delivering the interim results of the survey at Laing & Buisson's Annual Children's Nurseries Conference, company economist Philip Blackburn said, 'Demand last year increased pretty strongly and as a result of this, occupancy for the first time on record increased.'
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