Child Care (Hansard, 7 September 2004)

§ Mr. Woodward
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the Government's policy is on extending child care provision; and what plans the Government have to extend child care provision. [186813]

§ Margaret Hodge
Between 1997 and 2004 the Government aimed to create around 900,000 new child care places to help 1,600,000 children. By March 2004 some 1,000,000 new child care places had been created helping some 1,800,000 ch#ldren. The Government have a target to create a further 250,000 new child care places for at least 450,000 children by March 2006 and to increase the stock of registered child care places across England by at least 10 per cent. by March 2008.

§ Mr. Woodward
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the Government's policy is on the promotion of the National Childcare Strategy; and what plans the Government has to extend the strategy. [186814]

§ Margaret Hodge
The National Childc#re Strategy is promoted, as part of the Government's Sure Start programme, through a variety of channels and campaigns, targeting parents and those working with parents and children. These include: articles in the daily, local and specialist press; leaflets available in locations such as health centres, Job Centres and Post Offices, and sent to Sure Start programmes, health visitors, midwives and employment advisers; publications such as the "Choosing Childcare" booklet; and National Sure Start976W Month held each June. Children's Information Services (CISs) in each of the 150 local authorities provide detail and advice to parents on Childcare and other Sure Start programmes in their areas.
The Government are continuing to expand and strengthen Childcare provision. Our PSA Target is 10 per cent. growth in the stock of registered places between 2004 and 2008. The Department for Education and Skills "Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners" (published on 8 July) makes clear that much of the future expansion will be provided on school premises, or in integrated children's centres, so child care becomes part of a web of personalised services, including good quality health and family support, that best suits families and their children. We will link the free early education entitlement for 3 and 4-year-olds more effectively with the hours of child care for which parents pay, to offer integrated education and care for a full day, while extended schools—both primary and secondary—will provide, or host, a wide range of services, including child care and a range of family learning and parental support, on-site.
In addition, the Chancellor confirmed in his "Spending Review" 2004 statement that the Government will publish a plan in the pre-Budget report later this year outlining our vision of choice for parents and high quality provision for young children for the period up to 2015.

§ Mr. Woodward
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate the Government have made of the number of(a) child care places and (b) childminders that will be created by the Neighbourhood Nurseries initiative. [186815]

§ Margaret Hodge
The Neighbourhood Nursery Initiative will provide 45,000 integrated care and education places for children under the age of five living in the most disadvantaged areas of the country. Currently over 42,600 places are being delivered through 1,218 nurseries. We expect the 45,000 place target to be reached in the next few months.

§ Mr. Woodward
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what estimate the Government has made of how many registered child care places there were in (i) St. Helens and (ii) the UK, broken down by region, in each year since 1997; [186827]

§ Mr. Woodward
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (2) how many local authority nurseries there were in each year since 1997,(a) broken down by region and (b) in St. Helens; [187364]
(3) what estimate the Government has made of the number of nurseries which have closed in each year since 1997 (a) broken down by region and (b) in St. Helens. [187365]

§ Margaret Hodge
The information is not available in the form requested. The available information on the numbers of day nurseries or full day care facilities for St. Helens and the regions are shown in#the following tables.
With the introduction of the National Day Care Standards and the transfer of responsibilities for registration and inspection to Ofsted, child care providers are now classified according to whether they are full day care, sessional day care, childminder, out of 977W school day care or crèche day care places. Previously, child care providers were classified according to whether they were day nurseries, playgroup and pre-schools, childminders, out of school clubs or holiday schemes. Therefore, figures for 2003 are not directly comparable with figures for earlier years because they are collected on a different basis.
Statistics on the number of child care facilities registered in England were published on 22 July 2004 in a report by Ofsted "Registered Childcare Providers and Places in England, 30 June 2004". The report is available on the Ofsted website, www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications.

Number of day nurseries^1,2 in St. Helens local authority area and
by Government Office Region: 1999–2001

Position at 31 March each year

1999 2000 2001 2002

St. Helens ⁽³⁾50 ⁽³⁾20 ⁽³⁾60 n/a

North East 190 190 220 n/a

North West and Merseyside n/a

North West 840 910 940 n/a

Merseyside 240 200 250 n/a

Yorkshire and Number 700 690 710 n/a

East Midlands 560 660 550 n/a

West Midlands 870 900 970 n/a

Eastern 570 610 600 n/a

Greater London n/a

Inner London 610 650 680 n/a

Outer London 550 600 620 n/a

South East 1,100 1,240 1,400 n/a

South West 770 900 910 n/a

England 7,000 7,500 7,800 n/a

Of which:

Local authority provided 400 400 460 n/a

n/a=Not available.

¹Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate. Figures may not add to totals due to founding.

² Data Source: Children's Day Care Facilities.

³ Figures as reported by the local authority.

Number of full day care facilities in St. Helens local authority area and by Ofsted Region, position as at 31 December 2003

Number

St. Helens 30

East of England 1,000

East Midlands 800

London 1,600

North East and Yorkshire 1,400

North West England 1,400

978W

Number of full day care facilities in St. Helens local authority area and by Ofsted Region, position as at 31 December 2003

Number

South East England 1,900

South West England 1,200

West Midlands 1,300

England 10,600

Note:

Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.

Source:

Ofsted

Number of day nurseries^1,2 in St. Helens local authority area and by Government Office Region: 1999–2001
	Position at 31 March each year
	1999	2000	2001	2002
St. Helens	⁽³⁾50	⁽³⁾20	⁽³⁾60	n/a
North East	190	190	220	n/a
North West and Merseyside				n/a
North West	840	910	940	n/a
Merseyside	240	200	250	n/a
Yorkshire and Number	700	690	710	n/a
East Midlands	560	660	550	n/a
West Midlands	870	900	970	n/a
Eastern	570	610	600	n/a
Greater London				n/a
Inner London	610	650	680	n/a
Outer London	550	600	620	n/a
South East	1,100	1,240	1,400	n/a
South West	770	900	910	n/a
England	7,000	7,500	7,800	n/a
Of which:
Local authority provided	400	400	460	n/a
n/a=Not available.
¹Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate. Figures may not add to totals due to founding.
² Data Source: Children's Day Care Facilities.
³ Figures as reported by the local authority.

Number of full day care facilities in St. Helens local authority area and by Ofsted Region, position as at 31 December 2003
	Number
St. Helens	30
East of England	1,000
East Midlands	800
London	1,600
North East and Yorkshire	1,400
North West England	1,400

Number of full day care facilities in St. Helens local authority area and by Ofsted Region, position as at 31 December 2003
	Number
South East England	1,900
South West England	1,200
West Midlands	1,300
England	10,600
Note:
Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
Source:
Ofsted