Childcare Desert: Reading Loses Over 600 Places Since 2019

A study by the House of Commons Library, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, has revealed a significant decrease of 654 childcare places in Reading since 2019.

This announcement coincides with the opening of applications on May 13th for parents to register for 15 hours of free childcare starting in September for children from 9 months old. The Liberal Democrats argue that the reduction in childcare places and providers undermines the government’s plans and leaves parents “without options.” They are urging the Government to review the funding rates paid to childcare providers to ensure these cover the actual costs of delivering high-quality childcare.

In Reading, the number of childcare places has plummeted from 4,697 to 4,043 since 2019, a 14% decrease. Additionally, the number of childcare providers has fallen by 51, marking a 26% reduction.

Nationally, the number of childcare providers, including nurseries and childminders, has decreased by 20% since 2019, dropping from 61,162 to 48,143. All but one area in the country have experienced a decline in the number of childcare providers, limiting parents’ childcare options.

Last month, the National Audit Office criticized the Government’s rollout of the childcare scheme, stating that the dates were set without assessing the sector’s capacity to meet the demand. They recommended that the Department for Education continuously review the expansion to reconsider the timeline if necessary due to concerns about the availability of places and staffing.

Henry Wright, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Reading Central, commented:
“Childcare in Reading has been driven to the brink by years of neglect from this Conservative Government.  Local parents have been left completely without options.

“Free hours are no good if parents can’t find a nursery or childminder for their child – and thanks to this Conservative government’s underfunding, many parents in Reading now face a near impossible task of finding childcare.  

“The government urgently needs to review the rates it pays providers to ensure they cover the actual costs of delivering high-quality childcare and early years education.”