The inspectorate’s figures for August this year show there were 26,000 childminders, down by 1,060 (4%) over the last 12 months.
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Over the last decade the number of childminders has more than halved, from 56,000 in 2013, the figures also show.
The dip in their numbers accounts for “most” of an overall decline in the number of childcare and early providers over the same period.
This summer there were 61,200 providers registered, down by 1,030 since last year, according to the inspectorate.
“The continued trend of plummeting childminder numbers, which accounts for the vast majority of the decline of overall providers, remains deeply concerning,” said Early Years Alliance chief executive Neil Leitch.
“Childminding professionals are an incredibly important source of quality, flexible home-based care and education, and it has never been more important to ensure that this critical part of the sector receives the support it needs – both now and in the long-term – to reverse this worrying trend.”
Ofsted’s latest figures also show that as of this summer there were 1.28m childcare and early years places, up by 1% over the last year.
The Labour government is looking to create 3,000 new school-based nurseries to increase capacity. Primary schools were invited to apply for the first phase of funding to expand or create 300 nurseries to open from September next year.
However, a report released this week by Frontier Economics called the plan’s aim of expanding capacity nationally into question.
While London has a high number of schools with spare capacity, areas such as the East Midlands and East of England do not, this research found.
Leitch said the government should “look beyond schools” and focus on supporting private, voluntary and independent providers “who currently deliver the vast majority of early years provision”.
Labour ministers are also committed to continuing Conservative government plans to expand early years entitlement for children with working parents.
“Now, with less than a year to go until the final phase of the entitlement expansion, it is absolutely vital that the government takes swift and decisive action to ensure that providers are supported not just to remain open, but to increase capacity to meet rapidly growing demand," added Leitch.
“The harsh reality is that if nothing changes, not only will providers continue to struggle but more and more families will find it difficult – if not impossible – to find a place that meets their needs."
