CYP Now - Less than one in five councils offer ‘sufficient childcare for children with disabilities’, Coram warns

Local authorities in England are struggling to provide enough early years places, particularly for children with disabilities, according to a report published by charity Coram Family and Childcare.

The cost of childcare across Great Britain has increased 'at a time when parents are already struggling to meet costs', Coram says. Picture: Oksana Kuzmina/Adobe Stock

It found that just 18 per cent of councils in England have enough childcare available for children with disabilities. This is down on the 21 per cent who were able to provide sufficient places the previous year.

Coram is urging the government to improve support for children with disabilities through more funding to improve training of staff and to make places more accessible.

The lack of places for disabled children is part of a “sharp drop in childcare availability across England over the past year”, warned the charity.

It found that just half of council areas in England have sufficient childcare for children under two, down seven per cent on the previous year. Less than half of councils have enough childcare for parents working full time, down 11 per cent on the previous year.

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