As a local authority, Essex County Council has a duty to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that there is sufficient childcare across Essex to meet the needs of parents. This is called childcare sufficiency.

 

Every three years the local authority is required to publish a full Childcare Sufficiency Assessment which gives a picture of the supply and demand for childcare and identifies any barriers to families accessing the childcare they need. The 2011 report can be viewed online.

 

District plans set out actions being taken to address particular issues. The figures presented, and on which the action plans are based, were taken from the autumn 2011 childcare places and take-up audit, and on local intelligence. Since that time, there will have been changes in the number of childcare settings and places in the district which are not reflected in these plans. 

 

To obtain the most up-to-date childcare sufficiency position for a particular geographical area, please contact the Early Years and Childcare Children’s Community Commissioning Officer for this district.

For the purposes of the childcare sufficiency action plans, ‘full day care nurseries’ refers to non-domestic childcare settings open for a full working day (at least 8am to 6pm) throughout the year. This differs slightly from the Ofsted classification of 'full day nurseries', which refers to facilities that provide day care for children under eight for a continuous period of four hours or more in any day in non-domestic premises. 

 

As such, there may be small discrepancies between the number of pre-schools and day nurseries presented in these plans, and those shown via the Essex County Council online childcare search facility:

 

 

Termly information on the availability and take up of childcare places at a ward level is also available:

 

If you are thinking of starting a childcare business it is important to make sure there’s a need for childcare in your area. These reports will help you find this out.

 

If you would like to be sent any of this information, or require any of the documents in Excel format, please contact Early Years and Childcare on 01245 438500 or email early.years@essex.gov.uk