
It found that in the 12 months to September this year 199 nurseries closed, and a further 216 closed their doors the previous year.
Nurseries in areas of deprivation are among the most likely to be forced to cease operating, warns the research by the National Day Nurseries Association.
Just under four in 10 closures this year took place in the most deprived areas of the country, including in London, Birmingham, Liverpool and Leeds.
“Chronic underfunding” for free hours for three- to four-year-olds is a major factor in nurseries going bust, NDNA chief executive Purnima Tanuku said.
“Earlier this year providers told us that their staffing costs alone were increasing by around 15% but the rate paid for places only went up by 4.6%," she said.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here