Childcare enrolments grow by 70 per cent in Canberra, largest in Australia

The ACT has had the biggest increase in childcare enrolments in the nation, new figures from the Department of Education have revealed.

The Federal Government figures have shown enrolments have risen in the ACT by nearly 70 per cent since 2007.

In September 2007 nearly 14,000 children were enrolled in childcare in the ACT.

That figure has risen dramatically, to more than 23,000 in September 2013.

Nationally, the number of children in child care has also risen, by nearly 40 per cent.

Despite the increase in the number of children enrolled in child care, the amount of service hours used by families has fallen by 7 per cent.

Assistant Education Minister Sussan Ley said the decrease in childcare hours is due to the increasing cost of services in the ACT.

"This is clearly having an impact on the number of hours of child care ACT families can afford to access per week," she said.

"Which, in turn, reduces workforce participation opportunities, particularly for women."

Ms Ley has encouraged childcare users in the ACT to comment on a draft report by the Productivity Commission inquiry into child care.

Public submissions on the Productivity Commission inquiry close next month.