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Agreed that:

(1) approval be given to: Childcare Sufficiency Report
2023-24

(2) the Director of Children and Education be authorised to
implement the six actions from the report.

Recommendation 1 - To continue to support childcare providers to
deliver high quality, sustainable provision.

Recommendation 2 - To improve the quality of the providers which
are judged by Ofsted as requires improvement or inadequate by
working intensively with them and those that deliver early
education funded places.

Recommendation 3 –To raise awareness of childcare options and
entitlements through social media platforms. To continue to promote
the Family Information Service Hub. To continue with participation
campaign and outreach in the community. To monitor demand through
FIS contact with parents.

Recommendation 4 – More data collection and analysis needed
to ensure sufficient childcare for the expansion in 2024 and 2025.
Increased promotion of new entitlements to working parents.
Childcare Providers are given adequate business support to ensure
sustainability and also that they are able to provide a flexible
affordable offer to families. Childcare Providers are supported
with recruitment and retention of staff as this remains a barrier
to expansion for them.

Recommendation 5 –To monitor wraparound childcare to ensure
sufficient places are available for families. To continue to work
with childcare providers to ensure parents can access affordable
holiday childcare throughout the Borough.

Recommendation 6 – To increase parental and stakeholder
engagement to determine how SEND provision should be delivered. To
consult with childcare providers to assess any potential short and
medium term gaps for SEND provision, particularly holiday
childcare. To provide more support for providers to ensure SEND
families can access childcare to meet their needs