The figures for December 2011 show that the total number of childcare providers has fallen by 582 to 82,950 during the last three months. However, places slightly increased by 38, bringing the total number of places to 1,309,404.
However, the number of places offered by nurseries has fallen by 724 places, along with the number of nurseries from 26,019 in September to 25,869 in December.
The figures show there were 491 nursery joiners and 641 leavers.
Joiners are the number of providers that have been added to Ofsted’s registration database during September-December 2011. Most of these are new registrations, but figures also include providers that have re-activated registration or changed provider type of register.
Leavers are the number of providers that have been edited in Ofsted’s registration database to ‘inactive’ status during September-December 2011. Most of these are resignations, but figures also include providers that have had registration cancelled or changed provider type or register.
There has also been a drop in the number of childminders from 57,326 to 56,939 in the last quarter, a loss of 387 childminders. The number of leavers was 2,354 compared to 1,967 joiners.
However, in contrast, the number of childminder places has increased, with childminders providing 658 extra places.
Catherine Farrell, joint chief executive of the National Childminding Association, said, ‘The figures show a small decrease in the number of registered childminders in England.
‘While we would not want to see a further decline, the figures are still higher than this time last year and in our view show that the profession is more than holding its own in the current challenging economic climate.
‘What is very positive is the increase in the number of registered early years’ places being offered by childminders and Ofsted’s acknowledgement that it is childminders who are driving growth across the early years’ sector.’
According to Ofsted, provider numbers for childcare on non-domestic premises have been in decline since December 2008. In December 2010 there were 26,323 nurseries.
There has been a year-on-year rise of 10,560 in the number of places between December 2010 when there were 1,298,844 and December 2011 when there were 1,309,404.
