The Torbay mum who set up her own nursery because she couldn't find childcare
Richard Lawrence speaks to parents and carers at Peekaboo nursery
A Torbay mum says she's 'not surprised' the area is one of the worst in the country for access to childcare after setting up her own nursery due to the challenges she faced trying to find one.
According to the Office for National Statistics, there are just 16 places for every one hundred children in Torbay.
Owner of Peekaboo childcare Harry Moreton told ITV News West Country she set up her business ten years ago because she couldn't find the right nursery provision for her own children.
She believes the problem has since intensified.
"In 10 years in the bay we have lost multiple settings, always for financial reasons," Harry said.
"I've just employed a staff member this week due to another setting closing down. I've had over thirty enquiries this month of families looking for childcare, which we can't fill for them."
The parents of the children at the nursery consider themselves lucky to have found places, but say they are equally not surprised to hear its one of the worst areas in the country for nursery provision.
Parent Becky Newcomb said: "I can agree with that. When we had to put our eldest in childcare it was the middle of covid and there was only one nursery that would take her.
Lucy Phillips added: "I live in Paignton and I drive to Torquay every single day just to get my little girl to school because I've tried about four different nurseries and nowhere has got availability.
Dad Chris Jones said: "Where you've got limited staff numbers, there's limited space. You put 30 kids into a room- try putting three kids in a room- never mind having thirty of them."
One of the parents of Peekaboo Childcare is from Finland where recruitment for childcare is now a problem- however Iida Mahilo says her relatives are paying so much less.
"You pay something like £900 or £1000 a month here for just four days. My cousin pays three hundred euros a month for three kids full time. It's a huge difference and I do think it needs to be a bit more subsidised here as well.
Harry Morton believes the next government needs to carry out a thorough review to rebuild a funding package for nursery education right across the sector.
She added: "So we've always had to subsidise, but as the living wage has increased, as the cost of living has increased, running a nursery is like running a giant household so we have the same household bills and we want to pay our staff what they deserve."