Nationwide childcare shortage means disadvantaged children missing out – but costs continue to rise

Published

2 years ago

March 9, 2023

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A nationwide childcare shortage is seeing the most disadvantaged children missing out, as the number of available places plummets.

In the last year, there has been a 7% drop in the number of English local authorities reporting sufficient childcare places for those aged under two, according to an annual survey by Coram Family and Childcare.

But as places decline, the cost has continued to rise and is now up 5.6% on 12 months ago. This means a part-time place (25 hours a week) for a child under two costs an average of £148.63 per week.

It is the most disadvantaged children at risk of missing out, with just one in five (18%) of local authorities reporting sufficient childcare for children with disabilities, a 3% decrease on last year.

Almost half (43%) of local authorities across Great Britain report that some, or many, of their childcare providers, have reduced the number of funded early education entitlement places they can provide.

In England, there has been a 6% drop in the proportion of local areas that have enough places for the universal 15-hour early education entitlement for three and four year olds.

These places are vital in narrowing the achievement gap between disadvantaged children and their peers, and there is concern they will miss out on this vital boost to their outcomes.

The report also highlights how widely childcare varies across the country.

The average weekly cost of a part-time place for a child under two is 54% higher in inner London (£199.01) than in Yorkshire and Humberside (£129.32). In outer London, just 28% of local authorities report having enough childcare for children under two, whilst the figure is 100% for the North East.

Labour’s childcare pledge

The report comes as Labour’s shadow education secretary will say today that reforming the broken childcare system will be her “first priority in government”.

During a speech to the centre-right think tank Onward, Bridget Phillipson is expected to say that Labour will not continue to throw taxpayers’ money at the current broken “jerry-built” system of free hours, which has seen struggling providers given less money by government than the Department for Education says it costs to deliver them.

“The childcare model the Conservatives have built fails everyone, denying parents the ability to work the jobs they’d like, to give their children the opportunities they’d like, and is not of the quality that staff want to provide.”

“In the Britain the Conservatives will leave behind, tweaking the system we have will not deliver the ambition or scale of reform we are going to need.

“Labour’s missions must be central to breaking down the barriers to opportunity in this country. To break down those barriers, our Mission commits to reforming the childcare system: that will be my first priority.

Labour has previously said a failure to support providers is driving up prices for parents as nurseries and childminders seek to recoup losses with higher prices for paid-for childcare hours to stay afloat, though this has meant many have been forced to close altogether.

Cost of childcare crisis

The extortionate costs of childcare are expected to become a flash point during the upcoming Budget, and more widely at the next General Election.

Some 96% of families with a child under three years old are more likely to vote for the party with the best childcare pledge and 98% of women using childcare think the government is not doing enough to support them, a survey from charity Pregnant Then Screwed has found.

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Three and four-year-olds in England attending a nursery or childminder are eligible for either 15 or 30 free hours a week depending on whether their parents work and there were suggestions the Treasury was considering expanding this to younger children.

But on Tuesday, children’s minister Claire Coutinho said there are no plans by the government to extend the 30 free hours of childcare a week beyond what is currently in place.

UK

Boy, 14, stabbed to death on bus in Woolwich, southeast London

Published

4 hours ago

January 7, 2025

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Boy, 14, stabbed to death on bus in Woolwich, southeast London

A 14-year-old boy has been stabbed to death on a bus in Woolwich, in southeast London.

Police were called around 2.30pm to reports of a stabbing on a bus on Woolwich Church Road near the junction with the A205 South Circular Road.

A boy who police said had received stab wounds was treated by paramedics, but he died at the scene shortly after they arrived.

Officers have launched an investigation into the incident.

No arrests have been made so far but police are appealing for witnesses of the incident on the 472 bus.

A cordon and road closures were in place as of shortly before 5pm.

UK

Liverpool hospital declares critical incident over ‘exceptionally high’ demand on A&E amid rising flu cases

Published

8 hours ago

January 7, 2025

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Liverpool hospital declares critical incident over 'exceptionally high' demand on A&E amid rising flu cases

The Royal Liverpool University Hospital has declared a critical incident due to “exceptionally high” demand on A&E and patients being admitted to wards.

The hospital said there had been a spike in people with flu and respiratory illnesses going to emergency departments in recent weeks.

The number of people in England’s hospital with flu quadrupled in the last month, according to NHS data.

A spokesperson for the hospital said it had a “comprehensive plan in place” and was “taking all the necessary actions to manage the challenging circumstances”.

“We are working with partner organisations to ensure those that are medically fit can leave hospital safely and at the earliest opportunity,” they added.

The hospital warned some people would experience delays as it prioritises the sickest patients.

People whose case isn’t an emergency are being asked to see their GP, pharmacy or walk-in centre – or call the 111 service for advice.

The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is in the city centre and is the biggest hospital in Merseyside and Cheshire.

Declaring a critical incident can happen when a hospital is experiencing exceptional demand, or sometimes if there is a serious problem with staffing levels.

It indicates it can’t function as normal and allows it to take extra measures to protect patients, such as prioritising the most unwell people and getting support from other agencies.

It could last hours, a few days, or weeks if necessary.

A critical incident was also declared on Friday by the NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board.

It said it had seen almost four times as many inpatients compared with last year and urged people with flu to avoid going to A&E.

There have been warnings this winter of a so-called “quad-demic”– with flu, vomiting bug norovirus, COVID and RSV circulating at the same time.

The NHS provides vaccinations against three of the four; flu, COVID-19 and RSV (a common cause of chest infection in babies).

UK

Zendaya and Tom Holland engagement rumours swirl after Golden Globes

Published

10 hours ago

January 7, 2025

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Zendaya and Tom Holland engagement rumours swirl after Golden Globes

Zendaya and Tom Holland are rumoured to be engaged after the 28-year-old actress appeared at the Golden Globes wearing a massive diamond ring on her left ring finger.

They met after working together on 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and confirmed their relationship in 2021.

Sky News has contacted representatives for Zendaya and Holland for comment.

Zendaya chatted to journalists on the Globes red carpet, where she was nominated for best actress in a musical or comedy for her role in the romantic sports drama Challengers.

Despite being pipped to the prize by Demi Moore, who won for her role in body horror The Substance, there was plenty of buzz around Zendaya’s large diamond ring, which was clearly visible throughout the show.

A Los Angeles Times reporter appeared to ask Zendaya about it, holding up her own engagement ring and pointing to it. Zendaya responded by showing her left-hand ring.

The reporter then asked if the actor was engaged and “she kept showing her ring, smiled coyly and shrugged her shoulders mysteriously”.

Holland, who is also 28, wasn’t at Sunday’s Globes.

Zendaya wore an orange Louis Vuitton ball gown, and diamond jewellery from Bulgari – for which she’s an ambassador – on the Globes red carpet.

But while the Dune star’s other jewellery items were listed in a press release, there was no mention of the ring on her left finger.

Zendaya, who rose to fame after her breakout role in Disney sitcom Shake It Up, became a household star after starring in Euphoria.

Tom Holland, who is the son of British actor/comedian Dominic Holland, won a role in Billy Elliot The Musical as a child, and has gone on to achieve global fame playing Spider-Man in six Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.