The ‘childcare deserts’ where nursery waiting lists begin in utero

In the Prime Minster’s constituency, the number of childcare places available has fallen by 15.4pc – Paul Ellis/PA

Parents face an uphill struggle to access free childcare in large parts of England as a “funding crisis” drives nurseries and childcare professionals out of the sector, Telegraph analysis reveals.

Working parents of two-year-olds can access 15 hours per week of free care from this month under Jeremy Hunt’s free childcare expansion – yet figures show the number of childcare providers is down 11.5pc.

The Chancellor’s flagship scheme has been criticised by nurseries who say they are not sufficiently funded to meet demand for places – a factor that has in many cases led to closures.

According to data from Ofsted, the number of childcare providers has fallen by 11.5pc between 2021 and 2023 – mainly driven by a huge 17.3pc fall in the number of childminders.

In Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Richmond, Yorkshire constituency, the number of childcare places available has fallen by 15.4pc in the same period.

This exodus has left many parents joining waiting lists for nurseries before their child is even born.

Yet their chances of finding the right care for their child differ hugely depending on where they live, as some areas are far more stretched than others when it comes to childcare provision.

Three children for every available space

Data from Ofsted, the Department for Education, and the Office for National Statistics shows that in some constituencies – effective “childcare deserts” – children greatly outnumber the places available.

Nationally, there are on average two children per childcare place. But in Dudley North, a constituency in the West Midlands, the ratio is 3.35 – the highest in the country.

Also among the least-provided for were Dover, Birmingham, Yardley, Great Yarmouth, and Walsall North, with over three children per place.

The analysis suggests that families in affluent areas will benefit the most from the provision of free childcare. Working parents are eligible for free hours as long as they earn less than £100,000.

In the 10 best-catered for areas – including Wimbledon and Twickenham – only 8pc of children were living in low-income families.

By comparison, in the 10 constituencies where demand outstrips supply the most, the average poverty rate was 29pc.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance charity, said: “We know that nurseries, childminders and pre-schools are facing a severe capacity and funding crisis and those in the poorest places are facing the biggest financial challenges. As a result, countless settings in these areas are struggling to keep their doors open, never mind increasing places to support the expansion’s delivery.

“The fact that those proven to gain the most from early education and care are the most likely to lose out is simply not good enough.

“It is absolutely vital, therefore, that ministers ensure that the necessary infrastructure is in place throughout the country to make certain that every child – regardless of their income or background – can easily access affordable, accessible, quality early years provision in both this and future phases of the expansion.”

Across the country, 62pc of constituencies recorded a decline in the number of childcare places on offer between 2021 and 2023.

No constituencies saw a bigger drop than Louth and Horncastle, where places were down by 16.9pc, falling from 2,217 to 1,842. The Prime Minister’s constituency of Richmond, Yorkshire followed closely behind, with places plummeting by 15.4pc.

The Education Committee, a group of MPs, warned last year that the Government’s childcare plan would not work if providers were not given enough funding.

“It is vital that the Department gets this right, or the already struggling childcare market will see even more closures,” the MPs wrote in their report.

The Telegraph’s analysis includes childcare places provided by schools. The Department for Education said the School Census data was not an accurate representation of available places because a place can service more than one child, for example in the morning and in the afternoon.

Marco Longhi, MP for Dudley North, said: “While Dudley Local Authority is meeting its duty to provide sufficient numbers of childcare places, I do understand there are always pockets in some areas where more provision would be helpful and especially in areas where incomes are lower.”

A Department for Education spokesman said: “Every local authority in the country is currently meeting its duty to provide a sufficient number of childcare places as we roll out the biggest ever expansion of free childcare in England.

“These figures are misleading as they draw on school data which measures pupils registered on a given day – not how many places are available or the number of children that may attend the provision at any one time. They also ignore factors including where people cross boundaries to use childcare.

“Over 40,000 places have been created in the last five years and we are significantly increasing childcare rates and investing £100m to make sure every eligible parent who needs one can access a government-funded place.”

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