Isle of Wight Council CHILDREN’S SERVICES CHILDCARE SUFFICENCY ASSESSMENT 2014 - 2017
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Isle of Wight Council CHILDREN’S SERVICES CHILDCARE SUFFICENCY ASSESSMENT 2014 - 2017 CHILDCARE SUFFICIENCY REPORT – Select Committee – July 16th 2015 Document Information Title: Children’s Services Childcare Sufficiency Assessment Status: Final Current Version: V1 Author: Gillian Pink, Childcare Sufficiency Officer, Learnin & Development, Children’s Services Directorate [email protected] (01983) 823153 – (01983) 821000 - 8414 Sponsor: John Coughlan CBE, Director of Children’s Services Children’s Services Directorate [email protected] (01983) 821000 Consultation: 1nd March 2015 - 17th May 2015 Pre-schools Schools including parents o Via Questionnaire to parents Family Information Zone Approved by: Director of Children’s Services Approval Date: Review Refreshed every one year Frequency: Next Review: June 2016 Version History Version Date Description V1 3 June 2015 Initial draft V2 14. July 2015 Final draft V3 30 July 2015 Final 2 CHILDCARE SUFFICIENCY REPORT – Select Committee – July 16th 2015 Contents Document Information 2 Contents 3 1 Executive Summary 4 2 Introduction 6 3 What is Childcare 6 4 Local Context 7 5 Population - Demography 9 6 The Welfare Reform agenda and links with Childcare 10 7 Quality of Provision 18 8 Overview of Isle of Eight Early Years & Childcare Market 18 9 Early Years Education – Funding Trends 23 10 Average Childcare Costs 26 11 Provider Sustainability and Demand Trends 17 12 Growth of Places 20 Summary Appendix 1: Provider list Appendix 2 Indices of Multiple Deprivation Appendix 3 Early Years Single Funding Formula Factors Appendix 4 Help with childcare costs Appendix 5 Locality Map Vision Statement – Recommendation for Action Plan 3 CHILDCARE SUFFICIENCY REPORT – Select Committee – July 16th 2015 1. Executive Summary The Childcare Act 2006 gives the Local Authority a key role in shaping the childcare market and the Isle of Wight County Council has been committed to working with providers from the Private, Voluntary and Independent Sectors (PVI) and the maintained sector, to create a strong, sustainable and diverse childcare market that meets the needs of parents/carers. Local Authorities are required under the Act; Section 6 to ensure that there is sufficient, quality, flexible, sustainable childcare and for parents and carers. The Act also places a duty on the local authority to report on the sufficiency and provision of early year’s education. This assessment analyses the demographic and population data available and provides an up-date on the authorities’ current ability to meet its sufficiency duty and considers the impact legislative changes are having on the demand for childcare. The assessment confirms that provision of Early Years and Childcare on the Isle of Wight is flexible and reflects changing need in relation to the continued social economic profile. Key findings are: a) The childcare market across the Isle of Wight has increased by 353 places since the 2011 Childcare Sufficiency assessment with the number of Day-care providers’ remaining relatively stable and sustainable within the three locality areas. Although fluctuation has occurred within the sector with day-care provisions changing registration status the average number of day care provision providing Early Years funded placements on the Island has remained comparable during and since the school re-organisation process. b) The 'Mid 2013 population estimate' shows the population of children across the Isle of Wight 0-4 have increased by 2.2 % since 2012 estimate. Population estimates indicate the 0-4 population reaches its peak in 2016 declines steadily until 2033 when it begins to increase. Live Birth data is currently lower than population estimates. c) The proportion of pensioners on the Isle of Wight remains higher than other parts of the county according to the latest (Census Mid estimate 2013), and is estimated to continue to grow. d) Capacity growth against predicted 0-4 population statistics would indicate that overall sufficient places are available to cover expected growth. However, capacity may become an issue when the governments’ plans to introduce 30 hours of provision for working parents are implemented by 2017. The Local authority would be heavily reliant on schools and the Private and Voluntary sector to expand their services to cover early year’s age range or the PVI sector expanding their businesses. Currently it is not possible to estimate additional demand as the 30 hour offer has not yet been defined. However we are aware that parents are not traditionally taking up their full entitlement, therefore future exploration for reasons behind low take up will take place. e) The assessment has identified, one local town within the North East Locality as providing insufficient early education places within local vicinity, although sufficient 4 CHILDCARE SUFFICIENCY REPORT – Select Committee – July 16th 2015 places are available within the Early Help locality, these are not within walking distance of parents. Plans are in place to address this issue and Capital funding agreed. f) During the last twelve months 2 year old capacity has increased with 350 new childcare places being developed through the Government’s incentive capital grant funding to accommodate the overall demand across the Island. g) The number of 2 year olds accessing Early Years Education Entitlement has increased, and currently stands at 71.5%, against the latest Department of Work & Pension eligibility figures, higher than the National average 62.6% and the South East region average of 67.5%. £10,000 has been allocated to continue the marketing programme to augment take-up. This includes: i. Island wide Radio Campaign ii. Information Posters/Leaflets & Business cards iii. Facebook iv. Local Media – adverts in Rainbow Directory/Beacon/County Press [inclusive of web-tile links on associated sites] v. Webpage vi. Direct targeting of parents on DWP lists - In the meantime, brokerage of places is supported through the Family Information Service. - The overall quality of early year’s providers is being maintained 87% being rated by Ofsted as Good or Outstanding. - The availability of childcare places has increased over the last twelve months with further capacity expected by January 2016. - The number of childminders offering funded placements has increased by 80% over the last twelve months. h) The Isle of Wight is also actively increasing awareness of both the funding entitlement of three and four year olds. This is being achieved through the Early Years Sufficiency team, the Family Information Zone, Health visitors, Barnardo’s Early Help Centres, local authority website, radio campaign and providers raising parental awareness. i) Further analysis of the childcare market planned will continue to ensure demand continue to meet needs. 5 CHILDCARE SUFFICIENCY REPORT – Select Committee – July 16th 2015 2. Introduction 2.1.1 To report to the Isle of Wight Select Committee on the outcomes of the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment 2014 – 2015, including the finding from consultation with parents/carers. 2.1.2 The Childcare Act 2006 requires local authorities to improve outcomes for all young children, reduce inequalities and ensure there is sufficient high quality early ears provision and childcare meets needs. 2.1.3 From April 2008, section 6 of the Childcare Act placed a duty on Local authorities to secure sufficient childcare, so far as reasonably; to enable parents/carers to access employment or training. Section 11 provides a duty for Local authorities to assess The supply and demand for childcare and develop a strategy that meets identified needs. 2.1.4 Under new statutory guidance (September 2013) Local authorities are no longer required to present their sufficiency assessment to the Secretary of State, but are required to report annually to elect council members on how they are meeting their duty to secure sufficient childcare and make this report available and accessible to parents. 2.1.5 Local authorities are responsible for determining the appropriate level of detail in their report, geographical division and date of publication. The Isle of Wight Council published its last Childcare Sufficiency Assessment in 2010 and undertook a mini review in 2012. 2.1.6 This report provides an up to date assessment of the supply and demand of childcare within the Isle of Wight and processes future actions. 3. What is Childcare? Childcare is defined in Section 18 of the Act “as any form of care for a child”, including “education … and any other supervised activity”. In the Childcare Act 2006, ‘Early Years Provision’ means childcare for a child aged from birth until 31st August following the child’s 5th birthday and ‘Later Years Provision’ means childcare for a child from 1st September following the child’s 5th birthday until the child reaches 18. (See sections 20 & 96 (6) of the Act.) Childcare includes some ‘supervised’ activities for under 18 year olds. This may overlap with local authorities’ duties under section 507B of the Education Act 1996, to secure sufficient leisure activities’ for 13-19 year olds. 6 CHILDCARE SUFFICIENCY REPORT – Select Committee – July 16th 2015 3.1.1 Ofsted1 [Office for Standards in Education] registered childcare is paid for by parents and is in addition to the free early years education entitlement for 2/3 and 4 year olds. The local authorities’ sufficiency duty refers to both types of provision. Local authorities are required by legislation to secure early education places offering 570 hours, from providers registered on the Ofsted Early Years Register. 3.1.2 The Childcare Act 2006, Section 7 establishes that all Local Authorities must secure sufficient free early years provision for all eligible children. All three and four year olds are entitled to up to 15 hours per week of free early years provision, up to a maximum of 570 hours per year from the start of term following the child’s third birthday until the child starts statutory schooling. In September 2013 this was extended to provide free early years education to 20% disadvantaged two year olds and increased in September 2014 to 40%.