Childcare search is 'mission impossible', says mum

Families say trying to find a childminder or nursery place has become "mission impossible".

Monika Kaczmarz-Pearson, from Hull, has been looking for a childminder for her three-year-old son for four months and thought it would be "super easy to accomplish", but instead it has proven "difficult and very stressful".

The number of childminders in England almost halved over the past decade and demand for places has risen, with working parents eligible for more free hours of care funded by government.

The government said it was spending "£9.5bn to support the sector" and that last year 40% more childminders offered free childcare because of government funding.

There were almost 48,000 childminders in England in 2015, compared with just 25,000 in 2025, Ofsted figures show, with one charity warning there could be none left by 2033.

Monika said: "It has been really difficult and very stressful, it seems like mission impossible to find anyone.

"They say 'we are too busy, maybe in the future'. One lady said that she is fully booked for the year so try next year. At that point I really panicked and thought what am I going to do?"

Monika works as a self-employed dog walker and her husband works shifts. The availability of spaces locally had changed, she said, and "15 years ago, when I had my first child, it was easy and I had no problems".

New mum Keira Beaumont, from Barton in North Lincolnshire, needed a childcare place for her daughter so she could return to work. She said she tried a total of 11 childminders and nurseries.

"They were all saying they were fully booked but they'd bear us in mind and stick us on the waiting list."

Keira finally secured a place at a local nursery for two days a week, starting later this year.

She said: "There's no way you can go back to work full time – no one can do it if you've not got the childcare."

Kirsty Wilson has been a childminder in Cottingham, East Yorkshire, for the past three years and said demand for places was higher than ever.

"I've had six requests come in over Christmas."

She added: "It's hard turning people away especially people that are really desperate for it."

Kirsty said she was one of 12 childminders in her village when she started her business but "there's now only five that I know of ".

She is also one of many childminders opting out of caring for older pre-school children because of government funding rates.

"I get £10 an hour, but for a three and four-year-old it goes down to £5 an hour. I have just taken one on but it's a parent that is willing to pay extra for me to have their child or I couldn't do it."

Industry organisation Coram PACEY – the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years – said the sector was at "breaking point" and called for intervention from government to help it survive.

Ka Lai Brightley-Hodges, head of the charity, said: "Many childminders are over the age of 50 and we are seeing lots of those childminders retire.

"It is predicted that by 2033 there will be no childminders left, which would be a huge travesty for the childcare and early years sector."

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said the 30 hours of government-funded childcare was saving parents up to £7,500 and the government was investing £9.5bn to support the sector.

"Childminders provide flexible, high-quality care that families value – and last year 40% more offered free childcare entitlements backed by government funding," they added.

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