Childcare sufficiency

We have to make sure there are enough early education and childcare places for everyone in our area. This includes:

• Free places for eligible 2 year old children.
• Free places for all 3 and 4 year old children.
• Additional hours for 3 year old children under the 30 hours free childcare scheme.

We look at the supply of places for different age groups and we collect information about occupancy levels and vacancies in local early years provision. Places can be in school nursery classes, day nurseries, preschool playgroups, childminders, out of school clubs and holiday clubs. We also look at demand levels and consider things that could change the demand in the future such as new housing developments, changes in population figures and birth rates.

We do a detailed analysis of the sufficiency of early years and childcare place across Trafford every two years. In addition to this, we also look carefully at smaller geographical areas when there are significant changes which might affect the position, such as when an early years provision closes.

Childcare Sufficiency Assessment 2022

Following the Coronavirus pandemic we are currently carrying out a sufficiency assessment to understand the current picture of the early years and childcare sector in Trafford.  The information will be available on this webpage in the summer 2022 term.