Childcare Sufficiency Assessment
The government’s vision is for a childcare market, which offers the reliability, accessibility, diversity and affordability that allows parents to make real choices about balancing family life. Provision that is high quality, flexible and sustainable, using the optimum combination of skills and experience from the private, voluntary and maintained sector to secure the best outcomes for children locally, reduce inequality and contribute to ending child poverty.
The Childcare Act 2006 places a duty on the local authorities to assess and secure sufficient childcare. Sufficient childcare is defined in Section 6 of the 2006 Act as "sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in the local authority's area who require childcare in order to enable them:
- To take up, or remain in, work, or
- To undertake education or training which could reasonably be expected to assist them to obtain work"
Regulations under section 11 of the 2006 Act require local authorities to:
- Undertake a childcare sufficiency assessment at least every three years, commencing in April 2007.
- Consult with a range of interested parties in preparing the childcare sufficiency assessment.
- Secure so far as is reasonably practical, sufficient childcare provision to meet the needs of parents in order to work or undertake education or training leading to work.
- Publish a plan detailing how childcare sufficiency will be achieved by March 2008.
The EYCP will ensure the sufficiency plan is part of the Children and Young People Plan and the childcare sufficiency assessment duty will be assessed as part of Joint Area Review.
Bradford Early Years, Childcare & Play have now completed the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment, findings are detailed in the Childcare Sufficiency Plan 2008-2011 which can be downloaded as a PDF on the link below.
