More than two and a half times as many children as childcare places in East Sussex

By Will Grimond, Data Reporter
Published 17th Mar 2023, 12:11 BST
File photo dated 08/02/12 of a child playing. Parents in Northern Ireland are more reliant on family and friends for childcare than those in Ireland, a study has found. The research also indicates that a child's home environment has a greater influence on their development than their participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Issue date: Monday January 30, 2023.File photo dated 08/02/12 of a child playing. Parents in Northern Ireland are more reliant on family and friends for childcare than those in Ireland, a study has found. The research also indicates that a child's home environment has a greater influence on their development than their participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Issue date: Monday January 30, 2023.
File photo dated 08/02/12 of a child playing. Parents in Northern Ireland are more reliant on family and friends for childcare than those in Ireland, a study has found. The research also indicates that a child's home environment has a greater influence on their development than their participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Issue date: Monday January 30, 2023.
Children aged under five years far outnumber childcare places in East Sussex, new figures show.

Children aged under five years far outnumber childcare places in East Sussex, new figures show.

Childcare has been thrown into the spotlight after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt made it a central subject of his spring Budget.

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The Government plans to significantly expand free childcare over the next few years – but charities have warned they may be hampered by a lack of capacity in the sector and difficulties with recruitment.

Figures from the Department for Education show there were 8,795 places for early years childcare in East Sussex as of December 2022, while separate data from the 2021 census shows there were around 25,000 children aged four and under in the area.

This suggests there was one childcare place for every 2.8 children in East Sussex.

This was a worse ratio than across the country, where there were 2.4 children per place.

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The Chancellor announced 30 hours of free childcare for all under-fives from the moment maternity care ends, where eligible, and he said the policy would be introduced in stages to ensure there is "enough supply in the market".

The offer of free childcare for working parents will be available to those with two-year-olds from April 2024, covering around half a million parents, but it will initially be limited to 15 hours.

From September 2024, the 15-hour offer will be extended to children from nine months, helping a total of nearly a million parents, and the full 30-hour offer to all under-fives will come in from September 2025.

Jeremy Hunt told Sky News that it was the "biggest transformation in childcare" in his lifetime.

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