Alliance urges action as °ϲʹ statistics reveal 33% rise in childcare provider closures

Leading early years membership organisation the Early Years Alliance has accused the government of “turning a blind eye” to the childcare sector in England after new figures from °ϲʹ revealed that the average number of early years providers closing every month has increased by a third.

The figures, which pre-date the start of the coronavirus pandemic, show that between September and December 2019, an average of 735 nurseries, pre-schools and childminders closed every month, a 33% increase in closures compared to the same period in 2018.

The latest statistics were revealed by °ϲʹ chief inspector Amanda Spielman last week in response to a Parliamentary Question from Conservative MP Steve Brine. The increase has been largely driven by a sharp rise in childminder closures.

 

Average monthly nursery and pre-school closures

Average monthly childminders closures

Total average monthly closures

1 April - 31 August 2018

196

381

577

1 September - 31 December 2018

164

390

554

1 January - 31 March 2019

179

401

580

1 April - 31 August 2019

197

363

560

1 September - 31 December 2019

192

543

735

 

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

“We have consistently argued that childcare providers were already struggling to stay afloat long before the coronavirus pandemic hit, and these figures show just how badly the sector was already being affected by a sustained lack of adequate funding from the government.

“With the demand for childcare places now hugely reduced as a result of parental concerns over coronavirus, early years providers limited as to how many children they can safely care for, and the phased withdrawal of the Job Retention Scheme, the financial pressure on the sector is only going to increase over the coming months.

“And yet, while the government has spoken at great length about its plans to support primary and secondary schools to reopen fully, it seems that early years providers, who provide care and education for over a million children across the country, have been all but forgotten.

“For years now, the government has chosen to turn a blind eye as more and more nurseries, pre-schools and childminders have been forced out of business. It is vital that it now takes the opportunity to address both historic government underfunding and the current impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and deliver the financial support that providers need to remain viable. Anything less, and the childcare sector simply will not survive in the long term.”

 

Editor notes 

  • The monthly closure figures are derived from °ϲʹ responses to two Parliamentary Questions - one from Steve Brine MP submitted on 11 June 2020 () and one from Tracy Brabin MP submitted on 23 October 2019 ().
  • The Early Years Alliance is the largest and most representative early years membership organisation in England. A registered educational charity, it also provides high-quality affordable childcare and education to support children and families in areas of deprivation throughout the country.
  • The Alliance represents 14,000 members and supports them to deliver care and learning to more than 800,000 families every year. We deliver family learning projects, offer information and advice, produce specialist publications, run acclaimed training programmes and campaign to influence early years policy and practice.
  • The Alliance website is