PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Childcare: Lewisham East (13 October 2022)

The department continues to monitor the sufficiency of childcare. The key measure of sufficiency is whether the supply of available places is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents and children. Ofsted data currently shows that the number of places offered by providers on the Early Years Register has remained broadly stable at 1.3 million places since August 2015.

Officials from the department also discuss sufficiency of provision in regular conversations with local authorities. Under Section 6 of the Childcare Act 2006, local authorities are responsible for ensuring sufficient childcare places in their area. The department has not been made aware by local authorities of any current sufficiency problem in Lewisham East Council, which holds the statutory duty to secure sufficient childcare in this borough.