Annex 1
Early Years and Childcare Parent/Carer Survey Summer 2022
Summary Report
The survey ran from 7th July 2022 to 12th August 2022. Available via an online survey monkey and in paper format, it was promoted by a wide range of colleagues who work with families including early years providers and schools, the Healthy Child Service, Portage, Family Learning, Explore libraries, York Independent Kids, Homestart, York Mumbler and via Families Information Service and CYC social media and websites.
550 responses were received, 549 via the online survey and 1 paper response.
Key Headlines
Use of early years and childcare provision
86% of the respondents currently used formal early years and childcare provision, of these respondents:
55% could access all the childcare and / or funded entitlement they needed.
4% could access the funded entitlement but not the additional ‘paid for’ hours they needed.
2% could access additional ‘paid for’ hours but not the funded entitlement they needed
9% could not access the additional ‘paid for’ hours or the funded entitlement they needed
30% did not provide a response
Unable to access childcare required
Whilst there appears to be a relatively small amount of unmet demand compared to the number of children living in the city, the following provision types indicated the highest amount of unmet need:
· Full day care or sessional care for under 2s (21 children including 1 child with SEND)
· Full day care or sessional care for 2 year olds (24 children including 2 children with SEND)
· Full day or sessional care for 3 and 4 year olds (12 children including 4 children with SEND)
· Before / after school provision for 5 – 11 year olds (21 children including 5 children with SEND)
· Flexible provision for 5 – 11 year olds (13 children including 3 children with SEND)
· Holiday provision for 5 – 11 year olds (16 children including 4 children with SEND)
Please note that in the above data, some children will be counted in more than one provision type.
17% of families (11 families) who could not access childcare for a child with special educational / additional needs indicated that this was because they were not confident that the necessary skills, training or resources were in place to support their child.
When looking at unmet need in specific areas of the city, the following wards indicated the highest amount of unmet need:
Acomb Full day care or sessional provision – 8 children
Before / after school – 6 children
Holiday provision – 6 children
Bishopthorpe Before / after school – 8 children
Flexible provision – 5 children
City Centre Full day care or sessional care – 8 children
Dringhouses & Woodthorpe Full day care or sessional care – 8 children
& Woodthorpe Before / after school – 7 children
Haxby & Wigginton Holiday provision – 8 children
Huntington & New Earswick Flexible provision – 5 children
Rawcliffe & Clifton W/O Full day care or sessional – 6 children
Rural west Full day care or sessional – 7 children
Future use of childcare
When asked if they were planning to use more or less childcare in the coming months:
27% plan to use same amount
6% plan to use less due to affordability
2% plan to use less as no longer need due to changes to work /training
1% plan to use less because the hours/days offered don’t suit need
9% plan to use more due to increasing hours of work / training
5% plan to use more as child now eligible for funded
hours
8% plan to use more as can no longer use
family/friends
42% did not provide a response
Reasons for not using childcare
For respondents who indicated that they did not use formal childcare:
· 12 indicated that this was due to affordability
· 7 indicated that their chosen provider was full / they were on the waiting list
· 7 indicated that provision was not available at the times required
· 7 indicated that this was due their child having special education needs and needing specialist care
Awareness of the funded entitlement and Tax-Free Childcare
No
Aware Not Aware response
Some 2-year-olds can get 15 hrs funded childcare 57% 9% 34%
All 3- & 4-year-olds can get 15 hrs funded childcare 63% 3% 34%
Most 3- & 4-year-olds with working parents can get 30 hrs funded childcare 61% 5% 34%
You can sign up for Tax Free Childcare 60% 8% 32%
32 families indicated that they would like help with finding suitable childcare or would like more information on funded places for 2-year-old and these requests have been followed up by the Families Information Service.
Summary
There is some unmet need across the city albeit in relatively small numbers, and this does vary regarding provision type, age etc for different wards. The main area of unmet need appears to be for full day care or sessional care for the under 5s in several ward areas (Acomb, City Centre, Dringhouses and Woodthorpe, Rawcliffe and Clifton Without and Rural West), before and after school provision in Acomb, Bishopthorpe and Dringhouses and Woodthorpe and holiday provision in Acomb and Haxby & Wigginton. Some of this is likely to be due to the current recruitment and retention issues which are being experienced by early years and childcare providers in all sectors as many providers are having to limit the number of places on offer due to lack of staffing.
Several families of children with SEND or additional needs indicated that they could not find suitable childcare, and this could also be linked with the recruitment and retention issues as providers are not able to offer the 1:1 care required to support the child.
Many families commented that the cost of childcare is an issue and whilst the majority of families indicated that they were aware of Tax Free Childcare, nationally there is low take up so this is one area where we could support families by further raising awareness to increase take up.
Full Data Set
