Springwood contains 3 Long Day Care centres (143 places), 1 preschool/kindergarten facility (54 places) and 4 OSHC facilities (279 places). Combined service provision across long day care and preschool/kindergarten services, and the approximate 349 children in the cohort, sees a ratio of children per place of 2.2 - placing the area below the national average for supply per child. Looking at long day care specifically against the under-5 population, the ratio is 3.0 children per place (lower quintile supply). Further breakdowns by age, to help in identifying the most in-need services, show moderate LDC provision across the infant and toddler cohort (<3yo) with 143 places across 3 facilities serving 258 children while preschool supply is strong with 1 facility providing 54 places (3.2 children aged 3-4 per place compared to the Greater Sydney average of 8.3). Projected population decline of 11.2% in the under 5 age group between now and 2041 suggests a reduction in demand for childcare services. Other factors relevant to demand worth noting are lower female labour force participation of 51.4%, as well as strong employment performance.
In assessing child care markets local school supply is a particularly important factor, given school-run convenience, and enrolment vs child care place analysis can provide useful insight into capacity both for parents seeking child care options and child care operators assessing opportunities in an area. The catchment sees a level of school enrolment relative to population of 24.0 per 100 residents with 2,092 enrolments across primary and secondary institutions. This notably elevated rate of school supply suggests many students travel to the area from beyond the immediate surrounds, typically amplifying local childcare demand given school-run proximity. Additionally, the level of school places per child care place (LDC+PSK) is moderate. Rather unsurprisingly, out of school hours child care - serving school age children - was found to be much more abundant than other service types in the area. Fee analysis shows fees are notably lower than national averages.
10 school catchments intersect Springwood (note; school catchment data provided for public schools only), in which a combined 4,085 children aged under 5 reside, served by 2,133 LDC and preschool places. The overall demand-to-supply ratio across these catchments is 1.9 children per place, with limited variance in this ratio.