Childcare Sufficiency Audit

Over the last five months SureStart County Durham has been asking you about your current childcare use and what needs you might have for the future.

The information collected will help support the creation of strategies designed to provide services for mums, dads and carers of children under five in all areas of County Durham.

Questionnaire

During the five months, BMG the company selected to carry out the work has:

• Visited 1800 parents in their own homes across the County.
• Interviewed 250 randomly selected employers across the area.
• Contacted 50 childcare providers.

Each group has been asked a series of questions covering the supply of childcare places, costs, use of tax credits to name but a few.

In addition, 750 members of the Children's Network have been sent questionnaires, Partners, the Race Equalities Council are supporting contact with ethnic minority groups.

Two nursery providers have given us the oppotunity to talk to children under five.

An on-line survey is being conducted at Speak Up Durham designed to appeal to children and young people between the ages of 6 and 17.

Consultation Events

We have now completed our consultation events. These events gave you the opportunity to visit one of five Children's Centres and see for yourself what others have said.

Consultation Online

There will now be a chance for you to comment on-line too. The report is now available so you can view the content. We would welcome your views on any aspect of the report , if you have any queries please contact us.

After Consultation

Your views will be added to the final version of the audit. The document will be printed and made available at each of the 36 SureStart Children's Centres currently open. Copies are available on-line here and summary copies will be printed and made available at libraries across County Durham.

If you have any questions about the study or would like to find out more, either contact us or call the Children's Information Service free on 0800 9172917.