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Child Minding

Volume 480: debated on Wednesday 15 October 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2008, Official Report, column 949W, on children: day care, (1) how many and what proportion of daycare settings in the (a) 10 per cent. most deprived, (b) 10 per cent. least deprived, (c) five per cent. most deprived and (d) five per cent. least deprived local authority area were awarded ratings of inadequate following an Ofsted inspection in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07 and (iii) 2007-08; (223712)

(2) how many and what proportion of childminders were deemed inadequate by Ofsted in the (a) 10 per cent. most deprived and (b) 10 per cent. least deprived local authority areas in each year since such inspections began;

(3) how many and what proportion of childminders were deemed inadequate by Ofsted in each region in each year since such inspections began;

(4) how many registered childminders there were in the (a) 10 per cent. most deprived and (b) 10 per cent. least deprived local authority areas in each quarter of the last three years.

Beverley Hughes: These are matters for Ofsted. The Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, will write to the hon. Member and copies of her replies will be placed in the Library.

Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 23 September 2008:

Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, for a response.

Our source for identifying the 5% and 10% most and least deprived local authorities is the Government’s “Indices of Deprivation 2007” (an index published once every three years), as taken from the website of the Department for Communities and Local Government (www.communities.gov.uk)

I should alert you to some potential confusion with the figures. In order to capture all inadequate ratings following an Ofsted inspection, the data provided give the number and proportion of providers that were inadequate at any time during that period. Since a provider may receive a re-inspection and no longer be inadequate by the end of the year, these figures do not reflect our other publications which only capture the most recent inspection of a provider. This information is presented in Table A.

A copy of this reply has been sent to Rt Hon Beverley Hughes MP, Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Table A: Inspection data for day care providers between 1 April 2005 and 31 March 2008

Inspections between 1 April 2005 and 31 March 2006

LA deprivation level

Total day care at 1 April 2006

Total inspected 2005/06

Total inspected 2005/06 inadequate

Proportion inadequate 2005/06 (%)

10 per cent. least deprived

4,740

1,109

86

7.8

10 per cent. most deprived

2,522

611

60

9.8

Inspections between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2007

LA deprivation level

Total day care at 1 April 2007

Total inspected 2006/07

Total inspected 2006/07 inadequate

Proportion inadequate 2006/07 (%)

10 per cent. least deprived

4,682

1,679

101

6.0

10 per cent. most deprived

2,552

803

65

8.1

Inspections between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2008

LA deprivation level

Total day care at 1 April 2008

Total inspected 2007/08

Total inspected 2007/08 inadequate

Proportion inadequate 2007/08 (%)

10 per cent. least deprived

4,712

1,786

109

6.1

10 per cent. most deprived

2,547

908

77

8.5

Inspections between 1 April 2005 and 31 March 2006

LA deprivation level

Total day care at 1 April 2004/06

Total inspected 2005/06

Total inspected 2005/06 inadequate

Proportion inadequate 2005/06 (%)

5 per cent. least deprived

1,636

380

25

6.6

5 per cent. most deprived

1,078

242

22

9.1

Inspections between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2007

LA deprivation level

Total day care at 1 April 2007

Total inspected 2006/07

Total inspected 2006/07 inadequate

Proportion inadequate 2006/07 (%)

5 per cent. least deprived

1,593

593

35

5.9

5 per cent. most deprived

1,096

318

21

6.6

Inspections between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2008.

LA deprivation level

Total day care at 1 April 2008

Total inspected 2007/08

Total inspected 2007/08 inadequate

Proportion inadequate 2007/08 (%)

5 per cent. least deprived

1,608

570

27

4.7

5 per cent. most deprived

1,109

381

38

10.0

Notes:

1. All inspection data taken from the Regulatory Support Application (RSA) database as it was at 1 April 2008. Active provider data taken from the RSA database as it was at 6 April 2006, 30 March 2007 and 1 April 2008 respectively. LA deprivation level based on Indices of Deprivation 2007 on the government communities website (www.communities.gov.uk).The majority of the data underpinning the Indices of Deprivation 2007 represents 2005 although some data covers a number of years, for example an average of 2003-05.

2. In order to capture all inadequate ratings following an Ofsted inspection, the data provided give the number and proportion of providers that were inadequate at any time during the time period. Since a provider may receive a re-inspection and no longer be inadequate by the end of the year, these figures do not reflect our other publications which only capture the most recent inspection of a provider.

Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 23 September 2008:

Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, for a response.

Our source for identifying both the 10% most and least deprived local authorities is the Government's “Indices of Deprivation 2007” (an index published once every three years), as taken from the website of the Department for Communities and Local Government (www.communities.gov.uk).

Ofsted has been responsible for the inspection of childminders since September 2001. However during the first 18 months we carried out transition inspections where we made an assessment of whether registration should continue and did not give quality grades. We started to judge quality and grade this from April 2003. There are, however, issues relating to the structure of the database used to store inspection outcomes during the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2005. These issues make it difficult to present accurate and comprehensive data relating to this period. Furthermore, the inspection framework changed in April 2005 with the result that it is difficult to make meaningful comparisons with the period 2003-05. The inspection data in this response, therefore, relate to the current inspection framework and covers the period 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2008.

I should alert you to some potential confusion with the figures. In order to capture all inadequate ratings following an Ofsted inspection, the data provided give the number and proportion of providers that were inadequate at any time during that period. Since a provider may receive a re-inspection and no longer be inadequate by the end of the year, these figures do not reflect our other publications which only capture the most recent inspection of a provider. This information is presented in Table A.

A copy of this reply has been sent to Rt Hon Beverley Hughes MP, Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Table A: Inspection data for childminders between 1 April 2005 and 31 March 2008

Inspections between 1 April 2005 and 31 March 2006

LA deprivation level

Total childminders at 1 April 2004/06

Total inspected 2005/06

Total inspected 2005/06 inadequate

Proportion inadequate 2005/06 (%)

10 per cent. least deprived

11,550

2,880

74

2.6

10 per cent. most deprived

4,363

1,209

31

2.6

Inspections between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2007

LA deprivation level

Total childminders at 1 April 07

Total inspected 2006/07

Total inspected 2006/07 inadequate

Proportion inadequate 2006/07 (%)

10 per cent. least deprived

11,215

2,844

91

3.2

10 per cent. most deprived

4,464

819

46

5.6

Inspections between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2008

LA deprivation level

Total childminders at 1 April 2008

Total inspected 2007/08

Total inspected 2007/08 inadequate

Proportion inadequate 07/08 (%)

10 per cent. least deprived

10,418

3,330

217

6.5

10 per cent. most deprived

4,114

1,216

123

10.1

Notes:

1. All inspection data taken from the Regulatory Support Application (RSA) database as it was at 1 April 2008. Active provider data taken from the RSA database as it was at 6 April 2006, 30 March 2007 and 1 April 2008 respectively. LA deprivation level based on Indices of Deprivation 2007 on the government communities website (www.communities.gov.uk).The majority of the data underpinning the Indices of Deprivation 2007 represents 2005 although some data covers a number of years, for example an average of 2003-05.

2. In order to capture all inadequate ratings following an Ofsted inspection, the data provided give the number and proportion of providers that were inadequate at any time during the time period. Since a provider may receive a re-inspection and no longer be inadequate by the end of the year, these figures do not reflect our other publications which only capture the most recent inspection of a provider.

Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 23 September 2008:

Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, for a response.

Ofsted has been responsible for the inspection of childminders since September 2001. However, during the first 18 months we carried out transition inspections where we made an assessment of whether registration should continue and did not give quality grades. We started to judge quality and grade this from April 2003. There are, however, issues relating to the structure of the database used to store inspection outcomes during the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2005. These issues make it difficult to present accurate and comprehensive data relating to this period. Furthermore, the inspection framework changed in April 2005 with the result that it is difficult to make meaningful comparisons with the period 2003-05. The inspection data in this response, therefore, relate to the current inspection framework and covers the period 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2008.

I should alert you to some potential confusion with the figures. In order to capture all inadequate ratings following an Ofsted inspection, the data provided give the number and proportion of providers that were inadequate at any time during that period. Since a provider may receive a re-inspection and no longer be inadequate by the end of the year, these figures do not reflect our other publications which only capture the most recent inspection of a provider. This information is presented in Table A.

A copy of this reply has been sent to Rt Hon Beverley Hughes MP, Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Table A: Inspection data for childminders between 1 April 2005 and 31 March 2008, by Government Office region (GOR)

Inspections between 1 April 2005 and 31 March 2006

Government office region

Total childminders at 1 April 2006

Total inspected 2005/06

Total inspected 2005/06 inadequate

Proportion inadequate 2005/06

North East

3,565

772

42

5.4

South West England

6,673

1,852

52

2.8

West Midlands

6,222

2,090

55

2.6

Outer London

8,179

1,855

80

4.3

East of England

8,543

2,435

77

3.2

East Midlands

5,901

1,538

53

3.4

North West England

8,320

2,103

76

3.6

South East England

13,758

3,448

74

2.1

Inner London

3,648

687

43

6.3

Yorkshire and the Humber

6,813

1,752

55

3.1

Inspections between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2007

Government office region

Total childminders at 1 April 2007

Total inspected 2006/07

Total inspected 2006/07 inadequate

Proportion inadequate 2006/07

North East

3,474

755

48

6.4

South West England

6,387

1,786

59

3.3

West Midlands

6,154

1,698

75

4.4

Outer London

8,008

1,268

72

5.7

East of England

8,522

2,652

95

3.6

East Midlands

5,863

1,608

72

4.5

North West England

8,072

1,894

91

4.8

South East England

13,218

3,265

91

2.8

Inner London

3,693

518

41

7.9

Yorkshire and the Humber

6,534

1,599

93

5.8

Inspections between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2008

Government office region

Total childminders at 1 April 2008

Total inspected 2007/08

Total inspected 2007/08 inadequate

Proportion inadequate 2007/08

North East

3,128

1,211

97

8.0

South West England

6,021

1,799

99

5.5

West Midlands

5,574

1,394

109

7.8

Outer London

7,440

2,562

219

8.5

East of England

7,728

2,101

167

7.9

East Midlands

5,449

1,693

150

8.9

North West England

7,350

2,624

203

7.7

South East England

12,452

3,780

183

4.8

Inner London

3,536

1,153

109

9.5

Yorkshire and the Humber

5,970

2,142

189

8.8

Notes:

1. All inspection data taken from the Regulatory Support Application (RSA) database as it was at 1 April 2008. Active provider data taken from the RSA database as it was at 6 April 2006, 30 March 2007 and 1 April 2008 respectively.

2. In order to capture all inadequate ratings following an Ofsted inspection, the data provided give the number and proportion of providers that were inadequate at any time during the time period. Since a provider may receive a re-inspection and no longer be inadequate by the end of the year, these figures do not reflect our other publications which only capture the most recent inspection of a provider.

Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 23 September 2008:

Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, for a response.

The information you require is presented in Tables A and B attached.

Our source for identifying the 10% most and least deprived local authorities is the Government’s “Indices of Deprivation 2007” (an index published once every three years), as taken from the website of the Department for Communities and Local Government (www.communities.oov.uk).

A copy of this reply has been sent to Rt Hon Beverley Hughes MP, Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Table A: Number of registered childminders in the 10 per cent. most deprived local authorities

2005

2006

2007

2008

LA code

LA name

Mar

Jun

Sep

Dec

Mar

Jun

Sep

Dec

Mar

Jun

Sep

Dec

Mar

330

Birmingham

983

996

1004

999

1000

1033

1074

1073

1049

1024

1006

942

918

890

Blackpool

154

162

162

164

165

161

153

152

147

133

124

126

118

204

Hackney

224

227

232

240

249

247

252

264

270

265

271

273

268

206

Islington

254

251

250

257

265

269

279

284

280

273

270

269

262

810

Kingston upon Hull

208

226

234

236

242

246

249

243

235

231

211

202

191

340

Knowsley

113

125

129

128

127

130

135

134

129

126

134

129

126

341

Liverpool

232

237

237

237

234

234

228

230

236

237

232

228

230

352

Manchester

400

405

409

418

429

426

429

442

438

424

412

415

424

806

Middlesbrough

154

154

157

163

160

155

151

152

154

153

148

140

138

316

Newham

351

361

363

368

378

377

382

391

380

372

374

365

363

892

Nottingham City

272

281

281

286

283

281

293

298

292

294

301

300

286

355

Salford

253

266

267

275

272

280

284

295

296

292

299

304

297

333

Sandwell

205

206

208

209

210

216

217

221

218

211

205

197

186

861

Stoke on Trent

249

244

240

239

232

230

228

230

224

215

213

208

197

211

Tower Hamlets

119

118

121

121

117

119

124

121

116

117

119

115

110

Total

4171

4259

4294

4340

4363

4404

4478

4530

4464

4367

4319

4213

4114

Table B: Number of registered childminders in the 10 per cent. least deprived local authorities

2005

2006

2007

2008

LA code

LA name

Mar

Jun

Sep

Dec

Mar

Jun

Sep

Dec

Mar

Jun

Sep

Dec

Mar

800

Bath & NE Somerset

259

260

261

262

262

257

243

240

220

210

201

199

195

867

Bracknell Forest

272

271

272

276

284

290

292

301

299

307

302

296

292

825

Buckinghamshire

969

972

981

991

987

970

957

985

951

914

929

887

865

873

Cambridgeshire

930

947

967

962

952

967

957

960

954

938

893

864

836

850

Hampshire

2517

2558

2549

2559

2569

2595

2553

2575

2519

2448

2418

2360

2337

855

Leicestershire

1013

1006

1011

1004

993

988

982

999

991

973

980

958

938

931

Oxfordshire

991

1004

999

996

991

982

966

1000

965

948

952

935

899

318

Richmond upon Thames

353

346

351

355

348

354

352

344

324

320

322

307

294

857

Rutland

62

62

60

64

60

52

50

52

57

55

56

52

53

803

South Gloucestershire

390

398

390

380

372

370

363

363

343

337

328

321

311

936

Surrey

1855

1897

1883

1918

1950

1959

1935

1940

1866

1840

1854

1833

1785

869

West Berkshire (Newbury)

302

305

298

296

303

290

283

282

269

270

270

273

271

865

Wiltshire

805

811

810

808

803

802

826

844

819

786

790

778

759

868

Windsor & Maidenhead

302

303

307

306

299

290

283

286

259

252

242

237

226

872

Wokingham

353

367

375

380

377

376

378

378

379

377

379

371

357

Total

11373

11507

11514

11557

11550

11542

11420

11549

11215

10975

10916

10671

10418