Affluent areas in England have ‘highest levels’ of childcare access – analysis

Affluent areas in England have the highest levels of childcare access, an analysis suggests.

Households in areas with greater access to registered childcare places tend to have higher disposable incomes, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Ofsted data.

The analysis found “wide variation” in the potential level of access to registered childcare places across local areas in England in 2023.

Neighbourhoods with lower levels of childcare access were generally more likely to have a higher proportion of children living in relative poverty, the figures estimate.

Affluent areas, like St Albans in Hertfordshire and Cambridge, had the most childcare places accessible per 100 children.

Meanwhile, the analysis found that Torridge in Devon and Walsall in the West Midlands had the least childcare places accessible per 100 children.

The analysis only includes Ofsted-registered childcare places at nurseries and other group settings, as well as childminders.

Childcare places which are school-based are not considered in the analysis, nor are children cared for informally by family members, like grandparents.

The analysis calculated access to childcare as an equivalent number of childcare places per 100 children aged 0 to 7 years, accessible from a neighbourhood.

Nearly all (nine out of 10) of the local authority areas with the highest number of childcare places relative to children had a higher than average gross disposable household income (GDHI) per head of the population.

In contrast, all the areas with the lowest levels of childcare access had a lower than average GDHI per head, with six out of 10 falling in the lowest 10% of local authorities, the analysis found.

The figures also suggest that childcare accessibility by public transport was lowest in the West Midlands, out of England’s nine regions.

The findings have been published as the expansion of funded childcare places for working parents of younger children in England is underway.

As part of a staggered rollout of the childcare policy, working parents of two-year-olds have been able to access 15 hours of funded childcare since April.

This will be extended to working parents of all children older than nine months from September this year, before the full rollout of 30 hours a week to all eligible families a year later.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance (EYA), said: “We’re clear that all children, regardless of their background, should be able to access high-quality care and education.

“It’s incredibly concerning, therefore, to see such a significant disparity between families living in less affluent areas – and with lower disposable incomes – and their wealthier counterparts when it comes to the availability of early years places.”

He warned there is a “real danger of a whole generation of children from more disadvantaged backgrounds being left behind”.

Mr Leitch added: “It’s vital, therefore, that whoever forms the next government, ensuring that all families have equal access to affordable, quality care and education – regardless of where they live or how much disposable income they have – is made a policy priority.”

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “Childcare is a key part of our economic infrastructure. It’s how we support parents to work and contributes massively to closing the gender pay gap.

“Women shouldn’t have to give up or cut down paid work because they can’t find the right care for their children. And every child should have access to good childcare and early education.

“We desperately need quality childcare for all families – regardless of where they live – so that all children can access early years education and all mums who want to work can do so.”