Main reasons for using childcare

The most common reason given for using childcare was so that parents/carers can work (71%), which was also the most common reason in other years. This proportion was similar to 2022 and 2023, and has increased from 62% in 2018. The next most common reasons were for the child’s social development (30%) and for the child’s learning and language development (25%), both similar proportions to previous years. Respondents could choose more than one reason (Table 15).

Overall, 19% of households said that they used childcare to help prepare the child for school, but this varied depending on the age of the child. More than a quarter (29%) of households with a four or five year old and around a fifth (18%) of those with a three year old stated this reason, compared with only 5% of households with a two year old. Households with an older child were more likely to state that they used childcare for the child’s learning and language development, with 30% of those with a four or five year old stating this compared with 16% of those with a two year old (Table 16).

Reasons for using childcare also varied with area deprivation. Those in the 60% least deprived areas were more likely to use childcare so that parents/carers can work than those in the 40% most deprived areas (78% and 59%) respectively. Households in the 40% most deprived areas were more likely to state that they used childcare to improve their child’s behaviour (7%) than those in the 60% least deprived areas (1%) (Table 17). Due to small numbers of responses in some groups, SIMD quintiles have been combined for reporting purposes.