新澳门六合彩官网开奖

 

The government could struggle to fulfil its promise of 30-hours a week of childcare after the number of childminders in England has fallen to below 43,500, the Alliance has warned.

 

Statistics released by 新澳门六合彩官网开奖 show a 24% decline in childminder numbers since August 2012. The figures also show that the number of childminders in England has fallen by 500 between 31 December 2016 and 31 March 2017.

 

新澳门六合彩官网开奖鈥檚 statistics also show that the number of early years settings rated 鈥榞ood鈥� or 鈥榦utstanding鈥� remains at the record high of 93% - an increase from 74% in August 2012.

 

Neil Leitch, chief executive at the Alliance, said that it was 鈥渧ery positive鈥� to see the number of 鈥榞ood鈥� and 鈥榦utstanding鈥� settings remaining at an all-time high. He said: 鈥淭his is a testament to the hard work and dedication of those working in the sector, despite an ongoing lack of financial support from government.鈥�

 

However, he added that it was 鈥渋ncredibly concerning鈥� to see numbers of childminders still in decline. He said: 鈥淐hildminders are a vital source of quality, flexible early years care and education and yet, every time 新澳门六合彩官网开奖 releases new statistics, we see yet another fall in numbers. This is simply not sustainable.鈥�

 

Neil added: 鈥淲ith the implementation of the 30-hour offer imminent, childminders will play a vital role in delivering the flexible childcare that government has promised to parents. The question is, then: why isn鈥檛 more being done to address this worrying trend?鈥�