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<p>The childcare market is primarily a private sector market, so the number of childcare
places will reflect how the market responds to parental demand and changes in the
child population. As such, the number of places is monitored by Ofsted and not by
the government. However, the government has invested in a number of capital programmes.</p><p>As
part of the School Nurseries Capital Fund, the department recently allocated nearly
£24 million for 69 successful projects across every region of England. This will help
to create new school-based nursery places in disadvantaged areas so more children
can access high-quality early education.</p><p>The department has supported the growth
and creation of additional nursery places to deliver the 30 hours entitlement. In
2016, the department ran a £100 million early years capital bid round. Local authorities,
in partnership with providers, were invited to submit bids. The department announced
that over 350 projects across 123 local authorities were successful in this bid round.</p><p>The
free schools that have opened since 2017 have created over 650 full-time equivalent
nursery places, with plans for over 100 full-time equivalent more places in the future.
Since 1 June 2017, 3 new local authority maintained schools have opened with nursery
provision.</p><p>On 31 March 2019, there were 1.3 million childcare places offered
by providers on the Ofsted Early Years Register.</p>
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