Maidenhead & Windsor

A sample of Windsor and Maidenhead parents and carers in the Royal Borough are being given the chance to shape the future of childcare and early years education.

The Windsor and Maidenhead council's Early Years and Childcare Service has commissioned Morgans Research Ltd to carry out a telephone survey with parents and carers in the area from Monday October 29 to Friday December 7. Those responsible for children aged from birth to 18 years will be asked about their current and future childcare requirements to identify their needs and where any gaps exist with the current provision.

Windsor and Maidenhead Parents who are approached during the telephone survey will be asked several questions including how many children they have and what childcare, if any, they use. The findings will be used only to improve childcare services and any information given will remain confidential.

In addition to the telephone survey the Early Years and Childcare Service has contacted all registered childcare providers in the Windsor and Maidenhead borough to assess the provision of childcare - including costs, facilities, opening times and the numbers of places offered. It will also be using its own Children's Information Service to monitor current and proposed Ofsted registered childcare.

Cllr Eileen Quick, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead children's services, said: "This is a great opportunity for parents and carers to have their say about childcare and early years education provision.

"Once all the views have been collated, the Royal Borough will carry out an in-depth assessment of the availability of childcare locally and will publish findings in early 2008. It will then consult on these findings with parents, childcare providers, employers and the wider community. The assessment will be used by the council to further plan and develop childcare across the borough."

The Childcare Act 2006 requires local authorities to carry out a sufficiency assessment that measures the nature, extent, need and supply of childcare within their area. Parents requiring further information about the survey or childcare in general should contact the Windsor and Maidenhead Children's Information Service on 01628 781430.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead