Childcare desert: Somerset sees 755 childcare places lost since 2019

Childcare desert: Somerset sees 755 childcare places lost since 2019 

There has been a 755 fall in the number of childcare places in Somerset since 2019, House of Commons Library research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

It comes as applications opened on the 13th May for parents to register for 15 hours of free childcare from September for children from 9 months old. The Liberal Democrats said the fall in providers was putting the deliverability of the government’s plans into doubt and leaving parents in Somerset “without options.” The party has been calling on the Government to review the rates paid to providers for free hours to ensure they cover the actual costs of delivering high-quality childcare.

In Somerset, 755 childcare places have been lost since 2019, falling from 9680 to 8925. It equates to a 7.80% fall in the number of places. The number of childcare providers in Somerset has also seen a decline, with there now being 133 fewer than in 2019, a 26.55% fall.

Nationally, the number of childcare providers, including nurseries and childminders, has dropped by a fifth since 2019, from 61,162 to 48,143. Every area in the country but one has seen a fall in the number of childcare providers since 2019, leaving parents with less choice as to where they can get childcare.

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate, Anna Sabine, said:

“Childcare in Somerset has been driven to the brink by years of neglect from this Conservative Government. Local parents have been left completely without options. 

“Free hours are no good if parents can’t find a nursery or childminder for their child – and thanks to this Conservative government's underfunding, many parents in Somerset now face a near impossible task of finding childcare. 

“I will continue to fight for a fair deal for families across Frome and East Somerset, that pays providers properly instead of doing childcare on the cheap by underfunding nurseries”.