A £20,000 independent report has highlighted affordability, availability, and flexibility as the three biggest barriers to accessing childcare in Jersey.
Authored by Isos Partnership, the study said that making Jersey an attractive place for people to start and raise families is “crucial” for addressing the Island’s long-term workforce and population challenges.
It explained: “An affordable and accessible childcare offer underpins children’s development and the early identification of additional needs, whilst supporting parents to achieve the balance of work and raising children that works for them.
“In turn, this has positive spillover effects on parental mental health and the quality of relationships at home, alongside parents’ career progression and productivity.”
The research was commissioned to inform the Government of Jersey’s Early Years Common Strategic Policy (2024–2026) at a cost of £20,737.
Affordability
The report found that 95% of the 1,250 parents rated the affordability of childcare as “very poor” or “fairly poor”, with Islanders reporting paying around £2,000 per child each month for full-time nursery places. Some said that their entire salary is swallowed by childcare costs.
The researchers said: “This can lead to difficult choices as to whether it makes more economic sense to go out to work and pay for childcare, or stay at home and provide childcare.
“Parents who had built rewarding careers told us how they had reduced their working hours or stopped work entirely, often with negative consequences for their mental health, because their salary would not cover their childcare costs.
“Some parents described how the cost of childcare was a major deterrent to having more children.”
Parents described feeling like they are “clinging on” until the September when their child becomes eligible for the hours funded under the Nursery Education Fund, according to the report.
The fund currently entitles Islanders to 30 funded hours per week for 38 weeks a year for children in their pre-school year (the year they turn four).
In the government’s Budget, due to be debated in December, Education Minister Rob Ward has proposed investing almost £4m to offer 15 hours of funded childcare per week for two- to three-year-olds during term-time.
Following the report’s publication, Deputy Ward said: “Evidence is clear that the cost of childcare is a real barrier for families.
“We are committed to exploring ways to make childcare more affordable and accessible for all families. This is why I have worked hard to propose, in Budget 2026, up to 15 free hours per week, term-time, of funded childcare for two- to three-year-olds to give every child the best start.
“As minister, this is something I care deeply about. I have listened to parents and carers across Jersey, and I recognise the challenges they face.
“This report will help us shape a system that is more affordable and accessible for all families and gives every child the best start in life.”
Availability
The report found a “general scarcity” of childcare places in Jersey, making it “difficult or impossible” for many to find a place for their child, or the hours they need.
Almost 80% of those surveyed said there are not enough childcare places in Jersey.
Islanders described how the lack of places requires them to join nursery waiting lists far in advance – including while pregnant.
The report said that childcare availability is “particularly critical” in relation to children up to the age of three, children with additional educational needs, and wraparound and holiday care outside of term-time hours.
The researchers from Isos Partnership identified nine key areas the government should consider to strengthen Jersey’s childcare system.
These included building a stronger early years workforce to address the shortage of staff across the sector, expanding childcare capacity, and extending the current funded early years learning offer.
The report said that the government should “build a stronger early years workforce that is highly trained and can draw on a wide range of skills” and “expand government-funded early years educator training and simplify the system for recognising overseas qualifications, to help attract and retain skilled staff”.
It also urged the government to expand provider capacity by ensuring staff receive more competitive wages, healthcare insurance, improved pension benefits and opportunities for continuing professional development.
Researchers added that the government should review work permit restrictions for early years workers to allow providers to recruit skilled staff from overseas.
Flexibility
Almost 80% of the parents surveyed by Isos Partnership said that there are not enough childcare places in Jersey, with many providers offering “limited or inflexible hours”.
“This often fails to align with parents’ working hours – particularly for those working full-time or irregular shift patterns,” the report said.
“Parents explain how they must find flexibility in their own schedules to accommodate the inflexibility of the childcare offer available to them – for instance by adjusting or reducing their working hours or using annual leave – which can impose significant cost and stress.”
Access to childcare appears to have the most impact on single parent families, according to the report.
“All single parent respondents to our survey said childcare had had some impact on their employment,” it said.
Researchers called for more childcare places to be available at different times to fit with parents’ employment patterns, expanding wrap-around and holiday provision, and allowing parents and carers to ‘bolt on’ additional cover as and when they need it.
The report said that the flexibility of Jersey’s current childcare offer could be strengthened by higher hourly rates or providing top-up payments through the Nursery Education Fund.
It also called for childcare providers that offer care outside of standard working hours, with
“flexible provision grants” offered to childcare providers to support with the staffing and capital costs of providing wraparound and holiday care.
The report said that parents also want employers to be more understanding and accommodating of the need to take time off work at short notice to cover gaps in childcare.
Special educational needs
The report also highlighted an “urgent need for much stronger support for children with special educational needs and disabilities”.
It also called for easier access to family support services, help with transition of children with special educational needs and disabilities through nursery into a school environment, clubs and holiday activities, availability of and access to therapies.
The report said: “Parents particularly want the government to address the acute shortage of specialists – such as speech and language therapists, educational psychologists and occupational therapists – within the early years system.”
It recommended that the government should “urgently” develop a strategy to address the “critical shortage” of specialists in the Island.
“This could involve direct funding for degrees and apprenticeships, and attracting professionals from outside Jersey by making it easier to get work permits,” the report said.
