Nursery World - Capacity falls as nursery market growth slows

Market analysts Laing & Buisson have revised their forecast for the value of the childcare sector after last month's Ofsted statistics showed a dramatic fall in the number of childcare providers.

Figures show for the first time on record a drop in nursery capacity, which was down 1 per cent.

Revised statistics published in Laing & Buisson's new report Children's Nurseries 2009 show that the UK nursery market grew by only 4 per cent in 2008, down by nearly half the figure quoted in preliminary results released at Laing & Buisson's annual nurseries conference in London last month.

The original figures released at the conference said the nursery sector was worth £4.1bn, with a 7.8 per cent year-on increase (News, 18 March).

The new report puts the value of the day nursery market in the UK last year at £3.9 bn.

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