Childcare Sufficiency Assessments

The Childcare Act places a duty on local authorities (LAs) to secure sufficient childcare for their community. In order to understand the needs of their community, LAs must undertake a childcare sufficiency assessment (CSA) every three years. This must be published on the Council website and made publicly available.    

Update on Childcare Sufficiency Assessment for 2022/23

A number of provider and parental surveys were carried out towards the end of last year to inform a CSA that we were planning to publish early in the summer term 2023. 

The recent Government spring budget announcement (15 March 2023) which included the changes listed below will have a significant impact on the Local Authorities Childcare Sufficiency Assessment 

  • From April 2024, working parents of 2 year-olds will be able to access 15 hours of free childcare per week 
  • From Sept 2024 this will be extended to working parents of 9 month to 2 year-olds 
  • From September 2025, all eligible working parents of children aged 9 months up to 3 years will be able to access 30 free hours per week
  • Funding rates to providers will be increased (details are still to be confirmed) 
  • Changing staff-to-child ratios from 1:4 to 1:5 for 2 year-olds from September 2023
  • Start-up grants for new Childminders, including those who register with a Childminder agency
  • DfE Consultation to explore introducing a new, streamlined Childminder-specific Early Years Foundation Stage framework.
  • New wraparound childcare pathfinder scheme and setting out the ambition that all parents of primary-aged children in England can access care in school from 8am-6pm
  • Eligible parents/carers on Universal Credit  will receive support with childcare costs upfront when they need it rather than in arrears
  • Increasing Universal Credit childcare cost maximum amounts from £646 to £951 per month for 1 child and £1,108 to £1,630 for 2 children.

The Governments Office for Budget Responsibility have also estimated that 60,000 parents nationally will enter the workforce as a result of these changes, while many will increase the number of hours they work.

As a result of the above the views of parents and providers that were provided as part of our CSA last year, and place requirement details are likely to have significantly changed. In light of this we are currently considering what information it would be useful to include in any CSA that we publish, and when would be the best time to publish it in order to provide accurate information to providers and parents/carers.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused and would appreciate your patience whilst we review our position.


The term 'childcare' covers children up to the 1 September after their fourteenth birthday or, if a child has a disability, until they reach the age of twenty-five.

Local authority's duties to secure sufficient childcare for working families, or parents who are studying or training for employment, includes the requirement to assessment the supply and demand in their area. The Childcare Sufficiency Assessment (CSA) maps the existing childcare provision in the borough and looks to highlight any gaps in the local market.    

This final CSA report provides the local authority with clarity on the current offer and recommendations on how to:

  • support local childcare providers to develop the local childcare offer to meet the needs of families   
  • support families to find childcare and take up any national childcare support schemes, such as those outlined by Childcare Choices 

Childcare Sufficiency Assessment 2021 (Spring 2021)

If you have any questions regarding the Childcare sufficiency Assessment please contact the Early Years, Childcare & Business Development Service.

Last update: Monday 27th of March 2023 11:30:47 AM