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Commenting, Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said: 

"How many organisations have to warn that thousands of nurseries, pre-schools and childminders across the country are at serious risk of closure before the government starts to listen?

"Closures on the scale forecast by this research would not only lead to tens of thousands of young children missing out on vital early education, but also parents losing access to childcare at a time when many are already struggling to balance work and family commitments. The CCN is absolutely right to highlight the particularly detrimental impact that this would have in more remote areas, where closures could mean that families are simply no longer to access formal childcare at all.

"With as many as one in four providers fearing they won't be able to keep their doors open for much longer, it's clear that urgent action is needed - and the harsh reality is that the steps taken by government so far, while welcome, are simply not enough. The sooner ministers acknowledge this and accept that much more significant investment into the early years sector is needed, the more likely we are to prevent the country being hit by a full-blown childcare crisis."