As warnings go, it is stark: in just 15 years' time, childminders could be a thing of the past if the current decline in numbers continues.
That was the claim from the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (Pacey), as it launched its inquiry into childminding in the 21st century recently.
The number of registered childminders has declined by 19 per cent over the past four years - from 48,000 in August 2015 to 39,000 in April 2019, according to figures from Ofsted.
This is being driven by the fact that currently more people are leaving childminding than joining; the Ofsted figures show that in first three months of 2019, 1,325 childminders left the childcare sector and just 544 joined.
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