Yesterday (1 July), the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed that it will launch a market study into the early years and childcare sector in England. This follows the request that the Secretary of State for Education made last month.
What will it cover?
The CMA has confirmed the expected scope of the review:
- Access to high-quality services covering the availability of childcare places and how well provision meets different needs, and barriers to entry and expansion;
- Affordability and funding focusing on how costs and the model for government funding shape prices, affordability for families and provider sustainability;
- Information and consumer choice to assess whether families can access and use information to make effective decisions, and how market practices affect their choices;
- The role of public bodies, examining how local authorities, mayoral combined authorities and other regulatory levers can harness the sector to deliver good outcomes; and
- Cost drivers and impact of provider types to understand the factors driving providers’ costs and considering how different provider models and ownership structures affect outcomes in the sector.
The CMA are expected to publish the findings in a report by May 2027.
Coram PACEY engagement
Last month, Coram PACEY met with the CMA to discuss the potential review of the early years sector. It was a constructive conversation that explored the challenges and opportunities facing childminders in depth. We were pleased to share the views of the childminding community and ensure that the voices of our members, as well as the wider childminding sector, were represented and heard throughout this process.
Now the review has been confirmed, we will work closely with the CMA to ensure childminders can engage fully with the review and share their views directly. We will urge the CMA to look at the sector as a whole, address funding challenges, and identify improvements that will help create a system that works effectively for providers, children, and families.
Call for views
The CMA is inviting families, childcare professionals, providers and other interested people to submit their views on their experiences of using or providing childcare services. The call for views will close on 26 July 2026. Coram PACEY will be submitting a response on behalf of our members.
- Childcare professionals and providers: call for views
- Families, carers and guardians: call for views
- Other interested people: call for views
Upcoming webinars
The CMA has scheduled two online webinars across July:
- Wednesday 15 July 2026, 10-11am – for stakeholders (families, local authorities, representative groups, campaign groups etc.) who want to find out more information.
- Thursday 16 July 2026, 6:15-7:15pm – for providers (including childminders and other providers, business owners, managers and investors) who want to find out more information.
