Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, descended upon Swindon on Tuesday, delivering a scathing critique of the Conservative government’s management of childcare, labelling it as “fourteen years of havoc.”
This condemnation follows fresh revelations from Labour’s analysis, highlighting a concerning statistic: there are now more than two children vying for each available childcare place in Swindon.
Phillipson’s remarks stem from data obtained from Ofsted, indicating a decline of 186 childcare places in Swindon since 2018. Early years experts caution that this shortage of staff threatens the expansion of funded childcare initiatives for families.
Nationwide, the childcare landscape is bleak, with 3,320 nurseries and childminders shuttering their doors in the past year alone, resulting in a staggering 17,800 fewer childcare places. Swindon, too, has felt the impact, witnessing a reduction from 232 to 221 childcare providers in 2023.
Since 2015/2016, the number of childcare services across England has plummeted from 84,970 to 63,207 in 2022/2023. In Swindon, over a quarter of childcare providers have exited the market since 2018, dwindling from 356 to 258.
Labour’s outcry resonates with the closure of over 300 childcare services in the South West last year, attributing this crisis to the Tories’ economic mismanagement and staffing challenges.
Labour is resolute in its commitment to ensuring families access the free childcare they deserve, unveiling plans for substantial reforms. Sir David Bell, esteemed former Chief Inspector of Schools, spearheads a review aimed at overhauling the early years system to better support families from parental leave to primary school completion.
Childcare provider and place numbers in Swindon Local Authority Area between 2018 and 2023
| EYR providers | EYR places | Non-EYR providers | Total providers | ||
| 2018 | 309 | 5,340 | 47 | 356 | |
| 2019 | 294 | 5,239 | 32 | 326 | |
| 2020 | 275 | 5,168 | 38 | 313 | |
| 2021 | 273 | 5,214 | 39 | 312 | |
| 2022 | 238 | 5,151 | 34 | 272 | |
| 2023 | 221 | 5,154 | 37 | 258 | |
Bridget Phillipson MP emphasised Labour’s dedication to rectifying the childcare dilemma, asserting, “Offering families funded childcare hours is no good if they can’t access them. Labour will build a modern childcare system to break down barriers to opportunity.”
In solidarity with Phillipson’s stance, Heidi Alexander, Labour’s South Swindon candidate, remarked, “The time of false promises on childcare has to be over.”
“For every family which has secured a childcare place in Swindon, there is effectively another one on a waiting list.
“I’m pleased that Bridget has made childcare her number one priority. I’m also pleased that she is doing the hard work of understanding how we can actually deliver more highly quality childcare at a price that people can afford and in a way that fits around people’s lives.”
