Ensuring Childcare Sufficiency and Improving Information Meeting the requirements of the Childcare Act (2006)

John Abraham Head of Child & Family Programmes Children's Strategy Division Welsh Assembly Government

Shaping Childcare in your Area David Dallimore Director, Melyn Consulting

Childcare Sufficiency The Childcare Act 2006 Section 22 Places a duty on local authorities in Wales to secure, as far as reasonably practicable, sufficient childcare to meet the requirements of parents in the area who require childcare in order to work or to undertake training or education or to prepare for work.

Childcare Sufficiency Assessment The Childcare Act 2006 Section 27 Undertake a Childcare Sufficiency Assessment and review annually Secure sufficient childcare to meet the needs of working parents, and those seeking work - Disabled children - Welsh speaking provision

Childcare Supply What childcare is currently available? CSSIW data CIS Survey of childcare providers Childcare Demand What unmet demand is there for childcare? Parent Survey Focus groups Interviews with parents Consultation with employers Interviews with stakeholders Vacancy rates Local Context What are the local social and economic conditions that affect childcare? Child Population Statistics Family Characteristics Working Patterns Family Incomes Childcare Sufficiency Assessment

Establishing current levels of childcare supply Identifying gaps in childcare supply Assessing childcare demand Putting into local context and using local knowledge

Childcare Sufficiency Assessment Draft Sufficiency Assessment Analysing the childcare market Identifying gaps in provision Making recommendations Consultation Stakeholders EYDCP Parents & Carers Children & Young People ProvidersEmployers Final Sufficiency Assessment Report as part of the Children & Young People’s Plan

Case Study: Neath Port Talbot

Took into account current levels of childcare, vacancies in existing provision, changing demand as reported by childcare providers and parents views Gaps in childcare supply for pre-school childcare in a number of areas Gaps in childcare for school aged children – especially for holiday care Information barriers Sustainability issues

Development priorities Funding requirements Priorities for Information Services Identification of areas for joined-up working Workforce Development Strategy Childcare Sufficiency Assessment

Managing Childcare Data Tony Baxter & Martin Creasey Tribal

Listening to Parents Emma Knights Chief Executive, Daycare Trust

Research Techniques David Dallimore Director, Melyn Consulting

Meaningless statistics are up 6.5 percent from last year

Quantitative research Involves information or data in the form of numbers Allows us to measure or to quantify things Respondents don’t necessarily give numbers as answers - answers are analysed as numbers Examples: Paper-based surveys; interviews; internet surveys; telephone surveys; street surveys

Qualitative research Helps us flesh out the story and develop a deeper understanding of an issue Often contrasted to quantitative research Together they give us the ‘bigger picture’ Good examples of qualitative research are face-to-face interviews, focus groups and site visits

Research Identify clearly your aims for the research Review existing information / literature Select questions that are relevant, concise and efficient Your greatest enemy in survey research may well be poor response rate. Clear and concise questionnaires can help get the best response.

Research Sample Sizes Comprehensive Sample Random Sample Swansea: Children aged 0 to 14 = 37,500 Average family size =1.8 Number of families =20,833 Sample: 95% confidence level

Research Interpretation Patient: Will I survive this risky operation? Surgeon: Yes, I'm absolutely sure that you will survive the operation. Patient: How can you be so sure? Surgeon: Well, 9 out of 10 patients die in this operation, and yesterday my ninth patient died. (probability and statistical independence)

Research Interpretation A total of 4,000 cans of drink are opened around the world every second. Ten babies are conceived around the world every second. Therefore, each time you open a drink, you stand a 1 in 400 chance of becoming pregnant. (Correlations)

Improving Information Phyllis Mathews and Alma Belles Wrexham Children’s Information Bureau

Childcare in Wales David Dallimore Director, Melyn Consulting

Childcare in Wales

Daycare Places per 100 children in the population Wales: 15.7 England:20.6 Scotland:24.1 Out of School Places per 100 children in the population Wales: 5.9 England:5.3 Scotland:9.5

Case Study: Glynneath Local Context: Children = 16.8% of population (17.7%) Population Trend = -6.6%(-1.6%) Welsh Language = 15%(12%) Children in LP families = 25%(26%) Workless families = 26%(26%) High income families = 14%(13%) Working women = 41%(45%) Deprivation Index = 10 out of 19 LOW DEMAND

Case Study: Glynneath Childcare Supply: 184 Registered Childcare Places = 19.7 places / 100(9.7) Daycare = 6.6 places / 100(10) After school places = 8.9 places / 100(3.9) Holiday places = 9.6 places / 100(3.8) Childcare Gap: Daycare Places = 11 After School Childcare = 0 Holiday Care = 0

Case Study: Glynneath Childcare Demand: Vacant Places = 37%(17%) Providers reporting increased demand = 33%(30%) Providers reporting decreasing demand = 0%(0%)

Case Study: Glynneath Parental Demand: AgreeDisagree Satisfaction with current childcare85%15% Good choice of childcare47%53% Quality of childcare is high78%22% Available where I need it63%37% Available when I need it65%35% Affordable to me58%42% Meets my child’s specific needs69%31% Language choice71%29%

Case Study: Glynneath Parental Demand: "I'd say childcare is adequate in this area" "The local creche [day nursery] do have Welsh speaking staff, which is good because I was looking for somewhere bilingual". "There is at least one childminder in the area, but she's usually full. It would be good if there were more childminders". "There aren’t many childminders here". "There is a breakfast club and after school club at the local primary school, but no holiday club. The Council run a holiday club at the lesiure centre in town which a lot of parents use". "I didn't think there was a good level of choice. The local day nursery didn't take under 2's when I was looking.”

Case Study: Glynneath Childcare Supply and Demand Analysis Areas with low supply and high demand are those where development of childcare is needed and would be sustainable Areas with low supply and low demand are those where intervention in the market is likely to be required Areas with high supply and high demand are those where the market is most likely to be functioning and market forces will meet supply with little intervention Area with high supply and low demand are likely to have a sufficiency of childcare. It is possible that there could be an over- supply in these areas.