THE loss of close to 1,000 childcare places across seven borough playschemes in the past year will be reviewed by Torfaen council on Tuesday.

The annual childcare sufficiency assessment (CSA) examines the options available to parents and carers from the borough, who are hoping to find care options for their children as they aim to return to work, training or education.

Childcare places in Torfaen are registered with the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW), which notified the drop in of 938 places across the scheme since their last review.

The report, written by Katherine Burnap – Torfaen’s family information service team leader – suggests that despite the decrease, there remains sufficient childcare to cover the expected amount for parents and carers in the borough.

In the past year, since the previous report and despite the reduction of 938 places, the report outlines an increase of 57 places in New Inn with a nursery level provider.

Last month, the CSSIW guidelines, which originally covered children aged up to eight years old, was changed to include children up to the age of 12, which will be factored into the new information.

The council has a statutory obligation to secure, or where possible, relevant childcare to meet the needs of parents or carers to allow them to work or education, which will allow them to eventually work.

This duty includes all children within the borough to the start of the academic year, September, in which the child turns 14, or 18 for children with disabilities.

The annual report for the CSA feeds into the full review, which is presented to the Welsh Government every three years.

The full review into Torfaen’s CSA will be presented to the Welsh Government in 2017, and the annual reports act as a servicing guide to ensure the council remains in line with projected figures.

Earlier in the year, it was announced that Torfaen council would join forces with Cwmbran Community Council and Torfaen Play Service regarding summer playschemes.

Cllr David Yeowell, the executive member for education from Torfaen council, will review the report on Tuesday, May 17 at 2pm in his executive member decisions meeting for education.