Devon becoming a ‘childcare desert’ as number of providers falls by almost a quarter

Liberal Democrat MP Richard Foord has warned that Devon is on the verge of becoming a ‘childcare desert’ as new research reveals the number of childcare providers in Devon has fallen by almost a quarter since 2019, resulting in 1,254 fewer placements.

The House of Commons Library research, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, shows that in Devon the number of childcare places has fallen by 9% since 2019 from 13,931 to 12,677. This represents 1,254 fewer places available for local parents.

It also reveals that childminders were the most affected providers – with the number available dropping by 35% in just five years. These shock findings come as applications open for parents to register for 15 hours of free childcare for children 9 months+ from September.

The situation is equally dire nationally, with the number of childcare providers (including nurseries and childminders) shrinking by a fifth since 2019. This has meant every area in the country, except the City of London, has seen a fall in the number of providers.

The Liberal Democrats have said the fall in providers was putting this new childcare offer at risk of being undeliverable and threatens to leave parents “without options”, with Tiverton & Honiton MP Richard Foord warning the crisis was even worse for rural families.

Last month the National Audit Office criticised the Government’s childcare rollout, saying that dates for the scheme were decided without a clear understanding of whether the sector could actually provide the number of places needed to meet this increased demand.

In response to these findings, Richard Foord MP is calling on the Government to review the rates paid to rural childcare providers for this new coverage, to ensure they pay fairly and meet the actual costs of delivering the high-quality local children deserve.

Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton & Honiton, Richard Foord, said:

“Childcare here in Devon has stripped bare by years of neglect from this out of touch Conservative Government. Local parents have been left completely without options and unable to get the affordable childcare they need.

“Offering more free hours is pointless if parents can’t find a nursery or childminder close to where they live – and thanks to this Conservative government's underfunding, many parents will now find this all but impossible.

“Our towns and villages on the verge of becoming a childcare desert and this is just unacceptable. We need less gimmicks aimed at grabbing headlines and instead need to see real work put in to support hardworking parents.

“Ministers must urgently review the amount they pay providers to cover the free childcare allowance, to ensure it covers the actual costs of delivering high-quality childcare and early years education – especially in rural areas like ours.

“We also need to see a real push to stop the mass exodus of childminders we have seen in recent years. We need more incentives to get people back into the sector and ensure everyone, no matter where they live, can access professional and affordable childcare when they need it.”