Rutland County Council has launched its latest Childcare Sufficiency Assessment to help determine if early education and childcare is meeting the needs of parents and carers who are working, studying or seeking employment. 

Annual Childcare Sufficiency Assessments help councils to gather important information about childcare availability, accessibility and affordability in their area. The aim is to build an accurate and up-to-date picture of the current childcare market, based on the first-hand experiences of local families. This includes their experiences of using financial entitlements like Tax-Free Childcare. 

In addition, Rutland County Council will be engaging with local businesses to understand how sufficiency of childcare places impacts their recruitment and retention of staff. This information will then be used to inform the childcare market, to support providers in planning and responding to family requirements. 

Councillor David Wilby, Cabinet Member for Education and Children's Services at Rutland County Council, said: "I would strongly encourage all parents, carers and businesses to take part in our latest Childcare Sufficiency Assessment, so that the information we gather gives a true representation of the early education and childcare offer in Rutland, as a whole. We are grateful to everyone who takes the time to give us their feedback."

Rutland's Childcare Sufficiency Assessment asks for feedback from parents and carers with children of all ages, as well as early education and childcare providers, providers of wraparound or holiday childcare and local employers.

The consultation runs until Friday 10 March 2023 and can be completed online.

You can also ask questions and find out more by emailing Rutland County Council's Early Education Support Team at: [email protected]