A thousand nurseries close as free childcare scheme falters

Providers resorting to ‘unethical’ practices to replace funding shortfall

More than 1,000 nurseries and childminders have gone out of business since the Conservative government was elected in 2015 with a promise of 30 hours of free childcare for working parents.

Official Ofsted figures, obtained by Tracy Brabin, the shadow minister for early years, show there has been a net loss of 1,146 nurseries and childminders from the Early Years Register since 2015. In total, 15,288 childcare providers have left the register, while only 14,142 have joined. Four-fifths (81%) of those who left the register had been rated either good or outstanding by Ofsted.

Related: Childcare crisis takes more than a financial toll | Barbara Ellen

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from Children | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2B0Sjl4