Decision details

To note the content of a report on the sufficiency of childcare and early education places for children under five years of age and for school age children.

To agree an action plan to address any gaps in childcare provision that are identified

That the content of the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment report (CSA) be noted.

Reasons for Decisions:

The 2006 Childcare Act places a duty on Local Authorities (LAs) to make sure there are sufficient childcare places of high quality for parents that need them to allow them to work or to train.  There also needs to be sufficient services for parents of eligible children to take up their offer of free early education, even for parents who are not working or training.  Department for Education (DfE) Early Education and Childcare, statutory guidance for local authorities (September 2014) states that to secure sufficient childcare places, we should take account of the local childcare market, and the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty to report annually to elected council members on how we are meeting this duty and to make the report available and accessible to parents.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Children and Education Select Committee]