North Tyneside childcare sufficiency statement

Providers were asked a series of questions about the expansion of the early years entitlement’s impact on demand for childcare.

Providers were asked initially if they currently delivered government funded early years entitlement places

• Over 90% of providers currently deliver funded provision.

Children new to setting

Providers were asked to estimate the percentage of children accessing the new 2 year old entitlement for working families that were new to their setting:

• Childminders saw the fewest new children due to the changes in funding entitlement.
• Sessional providers saw the largest increase.

Changes in Demand Following Working Families Entitlement for Children Aged 2 Years

Providers were asked to consider the statement that: new working families entitlements have increased demand for childcare places at my setting.  The table below shows responses by provider type.

• Only 6% of providers disagreed that demand for places had increased.
• 98% of Daycare providers indicated that demand had increased for their provision.
• Childminders and Sessional providers were the only provisions to disagree with the statement.

Ability to Meet Demand for Working Families Entitlement for Children Aged 2 years

Providers were also asked if they could meet demand for funded places for working families with children aged children aged 2 years.  The table below shows the responses by provider types. 

• Around half of providers agreed that they could meet the current demand for places.
• Around a quarter of providers felt they could not.
• Confidence was lowest in the North West of the LA where only a third (35%) of providers agreed that they could meet demand.

Ability to Meet Demand for Working Families Entitlement for Children Aged 9+ Months

Providers were also asked if they were confident in their settings’ ability to meet demand for funded places for working families with children aged children aged between 9 months to 2 year olds in September 2024. The table below shows the responses by provider types.

• Similar overall rates of agreement are seen for this statement about 9 months to 2 year-olds as the previous statement about 2 year-olds.
• However, the overall rate of agreement is largely due to the confidence of Childminders to meet new demand.
• Once again confidence was slightly lower in the North West where only 43% of respondents agreed with the statement.  This lower rate is largely driven by less confidence amongst Childminders in the North West.

Paid Additional Hours

Providers were asked to approximate the percentage of children accessing the working families entitlement places that also paid for additional hours.

• The approximations offered within provider categories ranged from 0% to 100% in all instances.
• Most children in Childminder and Daycare settings have additional paid hours.

Impact of the Expanded Entitlements on Financial Sustainability

Providers were asked whether they agreed that the new entitlements will improve their financial sustainability.  The responses are broken down by provider type: 

• 18% of current providers did not feel that the new entitlements would improve their financial stability.
• Sessional providers were the least likely to agree that their financial stability would improve.
• Holiday Clubs and Childminders were the most likely to agree with the statement.
• Providers in the South West were most likely to agree with the statement.

New entitlement in 2024

Providers were asked if they are planning to offer working family entitlement places for children aged 9-23 months in September 2024.

• Most Childminders and Daycare providers are planning to offer the new under-two provision.
• Relatively few Sessional providers will offer these places.