The composition of the childcare sector has been undergoing a huge shift for the past 20 years. As more women entered the workforce, demand for sessional day care dropped and full daycare and wraparound provision have become the norm.
What was once a sector dominated by single sites and just a handful of small chains (around ten in the mid-90s) is rapidly becoming less fragmented. In 2016, single operators made up 78 per cent of all ‘non-domestic’ providers, according to Department for Education data; by 2019, this was 57 per cent (the big chains with more than 20 settings made up nine per cent, according to estimates from the latest About Early Years survey using official data).
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
