Ofsted figures show drop in childminders

The Registered Childcare Providers and Places statistics - now published by Ofsted twice a year rather than quarterly - show that there are 80,619 providers on the Early Years Register providing a total of 1,309,339 places.

There are now 1,048 fewer registered childminders at the end of March than there were at the end of September 2012.

On 30 September there were 55,826 childminders compared with 54,778 at the end of March. There were a total of 3,520 leavers and 2,472 joiners.

Leavers describes the number of providers that have been edited in Ofsted's registration database to 'inactive' status between 30 September 2012  and 31 March 2013. Most of these are resignations are where providers have left the register, but figures also include providers that have had registration cancelled or changed provider type or register.

Joiners are the number of providers that have been registered with Ofsted. Most of these are new registrations, but figures also include providers that have re-activated registration or changed provider type or register.

The number of childminders has been declining since December 2008.

However, while there was a net decrease of 4,703 childminder places, those who joined the register created 11,075 extra places and existing providers offered an extra 838 places.

According to the figures, the number of nursery providers has fallen marginally over the last six months from 25,705 settings to 25,688. There were 1,118 leavers and 1,101 joiners

There has also been a very small decline in nursery places since March last year. As of 31 March 2013, there were 442 fewer places, bringing the total number of places provided by nurseries to 1,029,219 as of the end of March.

Overall, the number of early years registered childcare places has decreased by 0.4 per cent over the six month period, a net decrease of 4,913 places.

The number of childminders running a business together (categorised  as childcare on domestic premises) is largely the same as this time last year, with 142 providers, providing 2,698 places.

Comparing the statistics with March 2012, there has been a loss of 1,569 childminders and the number of nurseries has also fallen by 112 settings.

Commenting on Ofsted's statistics, Catherine Farrell, joint chief executive of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY), said, 'We know that in these difficult economic times, families value the flexible, high-quality childcare and early learning that childminders provide and any fall in childminder numbers is unwelcome news.

'But there may be even more bad news to come. If current Government proposals to withdraw local authority support to childminders and introduce childminding agencies proceed as planned, they will only serve to further threaten the sustainability of the profession.

'Across the sector the numerous policy changes being proposed are giving rise to concern for all providers and having an unsettling effect. It's time for the Government to listen again to the concerns being raised and to re-engage with the sector to achieve a common goal-supporting individuals to join and stay in the childcare profession.'