Walsall ranked worst in England for childcare access
New analysis shows the West Midlands is struggling to offer accessible childcare.
Walsall has been rated as having the poorest access to childcare in England, as an industry expert urges the next government to improve access in less affluent areas.
Analysis from the Office for National Statistics and Ofsted showed the West Midlands has the worst accessibility to childcare by public transport.
Sarah Ronan, Director of the Early Education and Childcare Coalition said: "It's a vicious circle: you end up in a situation where you have areas of high depravation and poverty, and the thing that would help them out of that is to work, but they can't access the childcare they need to be able to work."
"We're at breaking point in the sector really. There are 1.5 million children in England that live in a childcare desert. In the worst part of the country like Walsall there are 6 or 7 children waiting for every available place in the area."
Ms Ronan explained that childcare providers in less affluent areas struggle to provide free hours provision while still turning a profit but said "We need incentives for providers to operate in those areas - it is fixable, and that's one of the things we want to see all political parties commit to doing."
Ms Ronan added that early childcare provision is key to young people's development, and that good provision can make a massive difference to children from less affluent backgrounds.