Early Years Sufficiency
Shropshire Council Early Years team has a statutory responsibility, as outlined in Section 6 of the Childcare Act 2006, to ensure sufficient, high-quality childcare for working parents and those preparing to enter the workforce. The Early Years team takes a strategic lead in the local childcare market, planning, supporting, and commissioning childcare from schools and private, voluntary, and independent (PVI) providers.
A key part of this involves securing the free minimum entitlement of early years provision for all eligible children whose parents wish to access it. This is an ongoing effort due to development of housing, population changes and areas of general growth. We are working with the DfE to implement School Based nursery schemes, capital funding and general support to ensure place creation and maintenance.
To meet this obligation, the Early Years team produces an annual Childcare Sufficiency Report, please see below.
Any questions, please email Dan.Steele@shropshire.gov.uk
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Shropshire Early Years team has published their Sufficiency report for FY 2026.