Cornwall parents asked how hard it really is to find childcare

Finding a nursery place, a childminder with space or an after-school club that fits around work can take more effort than many parents expect. Now Cornwall’s parents and carers are being asked to say how that search went.

Cornwall Council has opened its annual survey on childcare across the county. It wants to hear from families about the options open to them, how easy it was to find suitable care and how good they think that care is.

What the survey asks

The questions cover three main areas:

• whether you can find the childcare you need for your children
• what choices you have and which type of provision you’re choosing
• what you think of the quality of the childcare you use

The council says it should take no more than 15 minutes to complete.

Why your answers matter

The council says the feedback will show what’s working well and where improvements may be needed. It will be used to pick out the biggest problems with childcare in Cornwall, find where they are and start work on fixing them.

The results will also help shape local early years and school-age childcare, so that services can meet the needs of children, parents and carers in Cornwall.

Who handles your data

The survey is run by Together for Families, which carries out the evaluation. Responses are collected through the council’s Let’s Talk Cornwall platform.

Data is stored securely and only members of Together for Families can see it. Starting the survey counts as consent for your answers to be used in the evaluation. The data will be destroyed one year after the evaluation ends. Full details are in the Together for Families privacy notice.

How to take part

Parents and carers can complete the childcare survey on Let’s Talk Cornwall. It’s open until Friday 29 January 2027.

The survey won’t work in Internet Explorer 10 or older, so use an up-to-date browser such as Chrome or Firefox.