A shortage of nursery staff means Bristol will be unlikely to have enough places to meet rising demand. This month free childcare was expanded to nine-month-olds, who are eligible for 15 hours a week, forming the second phase in a massive expansion of childcare to parents.
Next September the third phase will mean all children under five are eligible for 30 hours of free childcare per week. Bristol City Council is legally responsible for assessing if there are enough childcare places across the city, and council staff say a shortage next year is “potential”.
Many nurseries and childcare centres struggle to recruit and retain staff, who often have to endure low pay and long hours. Headteachers were updated about the plan to assess if there are sufficient places across Bristol, during a schools forum meeting on Tuesday, September 24.
One council officer said: “Initial surveys carried out with the sector shows that Bristol will be sufficient until September 2025, when we will potentially have a shortage of places for children under two. This is when the entitlement extends to 30 hours.”
The government began expanding free childcare provision in April this year, with 15 hours a week for two-year-olds. The expansion came after concern that many parents struggled to afford childcare fees, which are some of the most expensive across Europe.
The Department for Education has given councils a pot of money to expand nursery and childcare places. New early years places could be created in empty classrooms in primary schools, which are suffering from a reducing number of new pupils, leaving hundreds of surplus places in Bristol.
A schools forum report said: “Many providers across the city report difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff. Low wages and limited career progression opportunities are contributing to the workforce crisis, especially in deprived areas where the need for high quality, affordable childcare is greatest.”