WARRINGTON has been ranked the second-best place in England to raise a baby, according to a new study examining childcare, housing affordability, child poverty and vaccination rates.
The town scored 76.6 out of 100 in a ranking of 150 council areas across England, placing it just behind Wiltshire, which topped the table with a score of 76.9.
The research, compiled by baby essentials retailer For Your Little One, also placed Cheshire West and Chester in the top 10, ranking ninth nationally with a score of 72.9.
The ranking assessed five measures intended to reflect the services, costs and support available to families with young children.
These included childcare places for under-fives, the proportion of nurseries and childminders rated Outstanding by Ofsted, house prices compared with local earnings, child poverty levels and vaccination rates among two-year-olds.
Warrington performed particularly well on childcare availability, with 52.7 places for every 100 children under five, compared with an England average of 36.6.
The town also recorded a higher proportion of childcare providers rated Outstanding by Ofsted, at 16.7 per cent against the national average of 12.9 per cent.
Housing affordability was another factor in the assessment. The typical home in Warrington costs 6.3 times local earnings, compared with 7.6 times earnings nationally.
The study found that 15.1 per cent of children in Warrington live in low-income families, below the England average of 19.8 per cent.
Vaccination coverage was also above the national average, with 91.3 per cent of two-year-olds having received their first MMR vaccination, compared with 87.9 per cent across England.
The figures put Warrington ahead of neighbouring authorities including Cheshire East, ranked 25th, and Halton, which came 86th.
Cheshire West and Chester was the region’s other top-10 performer, while Trafford ranked 15th and Westmorland and Furness 16th.
Stockport came 24th, followed by Cheshire East in 25th place and Wigan in 27th.
At the other end of the table, Manchester was ranked 145th out of 150, with a score of 21.1.
The study found Manchester had 27.8 childcare places for every 100 children under five, while just 7.7 per cent of its nurseries and childminders were rated Outstanding by Ofsted.
It also recorded a child poverty rate of 35.5 per cent and MMR vaccination coverage of 80 per cent among two-year-olds.
Nationally, Newham in east London was ranked the lowest, with a score of 13.3.
What the researchers say
Dean Smith, director of For Your Little One, said where families lived could make a significant difference to the support available during the early months of parenthood.
He said: “Where you live can make a real difference to the help around you in those first months, from finding a nursery place to how far your money goes once the baby arrives.
“A low ranking is about an area’s services and costs, not the parents who live there, and families in every part of the country do a brilliant job.”
He advised expectant parents to research local childcare options well before their baby arrives, check nursery waiting lists early
