Analysis by the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) shows that 121 nurseries closed between September 2017 and the end of August 2018, compared with 73 closures in the previous 12 months. This represents a 66 per cent increase in the number of nurseries shutting their doors.
The figures have been drawn from NDNA’s membership cancellations. They do not include closures of other childcare providers such as childminders. As such, it says the number of settings that have closed since last year could be much higher.
Of the nurseries that have closed since the 30 hours policy was introduced last September, 71 per cent received an hourly funding rate of less than £5 per child, per hour. A total of 44 per cent received the lowest funding rate of £4.30 per child, per hour.
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