The places in Wiltshire where it's hardest to find childcare

The recruitment and retention crisis in the childcare sector is affecting the number of places available in Wiltshire.

With huge housing developments planned across the county and the potential need for 4,415 additional places to meet the Spring Budget’s new childcare quota, there are concerns for the future.

These concerns were discussed at the Children’s Select Committee meeting at Trowbridge County Hall, on Tuesday, October 31.

There has been a downward trend in childminding solutions for parents in Wiltshire, with 64 more childminders closing than opening since 2015.

The government has acknowledged that the childminder profession is in decline and announced grants of £600 for those who individually register with Ofsted and £1,200, for those that register with a childminding agency. (Image: Wiltshire Council)

According to the committee’s autumn report, there are currently 312 childminders in Wiltshire offering a maximum of 936 places, and 259 nursery and preschool providers registered for 10,231 early years places.

But it also added that due to a lack of appropriately qualified staff, only 8,950 places of 10,231 are available to children.

The report acknowledges that the recruitment of suitable staff, especially at management level, is impacting the Ofsted grading of some settings.

Between January and July 2023, 13 group settings closed with a loss of 426 places across Amesbury, Chippenham and Downton.

The report indicated that the biggest impact of these closures has been in Melksham, which it described as a town with an already high childcare demand where the situation is expected to worsen.

The report states that there is an intention to submit a planning application for a new school with early years provision in the town but the earliest it would open is September 2026.

The council reports that although Wiltshire currently has adequate provision for local demand in most places, new provision is required in areas with high occupancy.

An occupancy level of 85 per cent is considered a comfortable rate of occupancy for a community area but there are seven areas that currently show an occupancy above this number - Amesbury, Bradford on Avon, Melksham, Tidworth, Trowbridge, Warminster and Westbury.

According to the report, Melksham, Tidworth, Trowbridge, Warminster and Westbury have occupancy above 90 per cent for 3 and 4-year-olds, with Malmesbury also being listed as an area of concern.

The report notes that consideration is needed on how to promote childcare as a “credible career choice for young people, as well as those returning to work, or thinking of a career change.”

An exit survey is conducted with childminders when they resign in Wiltshire. (Image: Wiltshire Council)

Registered childminders can care for a maximum of six children under the age of eight, including their own children.

Of these six, a maximum of three can be early years children who do not attend school.

A recent survey for the government’s Wraparound Programme revealed there were no current vacancies with childminders across Bradford on Avon, Corsham and Malmesbury for 0 to 4-year-olds.

Despite this, Wiltshire continues to sit above the national average in its number of children benefiting from early education entitlement.

The report says: “Following the Spring Budget announcements, early years is a very high priority area, and it is important that in Wiltshire we are ready to meet the need for places.

“It is essential that there is sufficient capacity made available to the commissioning team to ensure that the statutory duty of the local authority can be met.

“Officers will continue to monitor the needs of all community areas encouraging expansion or the development of new provision, including childminders, in areas of need.

“Intelligence is gathered by both local knowledge and the use of surveys.

“Officers will continue to work with the early years and childcare sector, colleagues within the council, communities and others to ensure there is sufficient provision.

“Occupancy of settings will be reviewed three times a year to inform the amount of available provision required.”

It also adds that the council will implement a countywide action plan that will focus on development work in the coming year.