Nursery World - Nearly half of children under five live in 'childcare deserts'

More than 40 per cent of children live in local authorities that are ‘early education and care deserts’, where there are more than three children for every one registered place.

The research highlights how in many local authorities in deprived areas there are three children for every one early years place, risking 'locking' them into a 'lifetime of poverty'

According to research by the New Economics Foundation (NEF), more than 1.5 million children in England are living in 'childcare deserts.' The report states that 'exactly half' of local authorities meet this definition, but are much more likely to be the most deprived councils.

It also finds a similar picture when it comes to quality of provision. The analysis shows that the proportion of providers rated ‘outstanding’ steadily increases as you move from the most deprived postcodes to the least. In comparison, the proportion of providers rated as ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted increase as you move in the opposite direction.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included