We have a legal duty to secure sufficient childcare in Cumberland, as far as is reasonably practicable. This includes ensuring enough provision to meet the needs of families with children under the age of five.
This covers:
- universal early years provision for 3 and 4 year old's
- funded childcare for working families with children aged 9 months to 5 years
The Early Years and Childcare Sufficiency Assessment reviews the supply of, and demand for, childcare across Cumberland to help identify gaps in provision and inform future planning.
Setting up or expanding early years and childcare provision
If you are considering setting up a new childcare service or expanding your existing provision, you can request advice from the Early Years and Childcare Sufficiency team by completing the online form.
Setting up a new childcare provision form
A member of the team will contact you to provide guidance based on local childcare needs.
This support is intended to:
- help you understand local demand before committing to a new service or expansion
- support early planning conversations about childcare provision in Cumberland
- inform decisions about location, type of provision or capacity
This advice is separate from applying to deliver early years funded entitlements.
You can contact us for questions about childcare sufficiency in Cumberland.
Email: [email protected]
Related planning information
Information about how the council plans future education provision, including forecasting demand for school places, is available in School Organisation.