New IOE research project to explore private sector childcare in England

In the most recent DfE Childcare and Early Years Provider Survey almost two-thirds of nurseries classified themselves as ‘for profit’. 

Launched in February 2019, the project will use publically available information about nurseries, including location and quality, as well as interviewing a range of providers. One of its aims is to identify what information is available to parents, and what choice and control they have in choosing and using places. A sample of nurseries will also be contacted about their individual arrangements.

Government investment in the early years sector is expected to total approximately £3.45 billion in 2018. Much of this is provided as free places for 2-4-year olds. The majority of this funding will go to supporting childcare delivered within the private sector. This includes large ‘nursery chains’, as well as small scale providers and voluntary or community nurseries. 

However, relatively little is known about private-for-profit sector childcare. There are gaps in knowledge about who accesses the provision, where it is located, its quality, how accountable it is, and how the financing works across the sector.

The project will be led by Antonia Simon and will run until March 2020

Links

• View Antonia Simon’s research profile
• Department of Social Science
• Nuffield Foundation