Council creates over 1,500 new childcare places in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Council has helped to create over 1,500 new childcare places since April 2024.
As part of the childcare expansion programme, Gloucestershire County Council has helped to create 1,654 new places.
These include 526 Early Years places and 1,128 Wraparound childcare places.
From 1 September 2025, children aged between nine months and four-years-old may be eligible for up to 30 hours per week of funded childcare to support parents or guardians to return to work.
Wraparound childcare is designed for primary school age children and provides school term care from 8am until 6pm.
The Government ambition is for this to be available for all primary children that have this requirement.
To achieve this, the council has supported local providers to open new settings or to create more early years places in existing settings and supported schools and other providers to offer childcare outside the regular school day.
In the Annual Childcare Sufficiency Duty Report 2025, which is set to be approved at a meeting of Gloucestershire County Council’s Cabinet on September 17, it was revealed that the county’s care for young children is in a strong position compared to the average nationally.
68.2% of children in Gloucestershire were found to have attained a good level of development by the time they reach the end of Reception year at the age of five, compared to 67.7% nationally.
The take up of universally funded childcare for children aged three and four has a take up of 95.3% in Gloucestershire, compared to 94.9% nationally.
The quality of childcare in Gloucestershire is high, with 100% of childminders and 96.5% of day care providers meeting Ofsted inspection standards at last inspection.
The report also states that, despite the challenges faced by the sector locally and nationally, there are currently enough childcare places available within the county.
The council say they are continuing to work hard to ensure there are enough places for children with SEND and that they can be effectively supported by providers.
Cllr Linda Cohen, Cabinet member responsible for Education and Skills, said: “We are committed to working with the Government and local providers to deliver the childcare reforms by increasing the number of high-quality childcare places available in Gloucestershire.
“We are working hard to create spaces in the areas they are needed to provide children with the early education and care they deserve and allow parents and guardians to be able to continue working.”
Any parents or guardians who are unable to find childcare places, should contact providers listed on the Glos Families Directory. Visit www.familyhubs.gloucestershire.gov.uk to view the directory and a range of other useful information and support.
Parents or guardians with questions about childcare for children with SEND should contact the Early Years advice line on [email protected]. Providers can also contact the Childcare Business Team if they have concerns, either about expanding or the number of children on their waiting list [email protected].