Nursery World - Figures show children in poorer areas have lower access to funded childcare

Official statistics show that affluent areas in England have the highest number of childcare places available to families, highlighting that children in the most deprived parts of the country are less likely to have access to Government funded places.

Children in deprived areas have less access to funded childcare places PHOTO Adobe Stock

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) analysis, carried out by analysing Ofsted registered places, shows that affluent areas of the country have the greatest access to childcare and early education and that households in areas with greater access tend to have higher disposable incomes.

The data shows wide variation in the potential level of access to registered childcare places across the country in 2023. The analysis does not measure the affordability of childcare.

Areas with lower levels of access to childcare were generally more likely to have lower disposable household incomes, on average, and a higher proportion of children living in poverty.

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