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<p>Local authorities have a duty to secure sufficient childcare for families in their
local areas. The department will continue to support all local authorities to deliver
the government’s childcare offers and ensure sufficient places, through direct support
from departmental officials and our delivery partners. In September 2018, we also
announced a year extension to the Childcare Works contract, which will see continued
support being provided to local authorities and childcare providers in helping to
deliver the government entitlements.</p><p> </p><p>The department is committed to
ensuring all parents have access to high-quality affordable childcare. We recognise
that providers and families living and operating in rural communities are faced with
particular barriers to delivering and accessing childcare. That is why under the new
early years national funding formula introduced in 2017, local authorities can use
a rurality or sparsity supplement in their local funding formulae.</p><p> </p>
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