Wraparound Childcare

We're expanding wraparound care for parents of primary school children under the Childcare Reforms programme. Starting September 2024, there will be more wraparound childcare options.

By September 2026, all parents in England with primary school children should have access to wraparound childcare from 8am before school starts until 6pm after school ends, Monday to Friday during term time.

Guidance for Schools and settings can be found here and an additional information sheet for PVI providers can be found here.

The Wraparound Care programme requires that by 2026 all parents who need it must be serviced by some form of wraparound care with every school having a responsibility to offer provision whether they deliver that themselves, or through a private provider on site or through arrangements with other local providers and childminders.

Parents have the Right to Request childcare at their school and Guidance for schools was updated in February 2024.(Responding to requests for wraparound childcare - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Local Authority has been allocated programme funding, for supporting the initial setup or expansion of wraparound provision associated with primary schools. Wraparound programme funding can be used to support running costs such as staffing, training, minibus hire, and resources for before or after school childcare provision or both.

As this is a limited pot of funding, unfortunately we may not be able to support all settings who wish to expand, and the Local Authority will prioritise areas of greatest need in line with Government expectations.

The first round of funding for schools and settings setting up new provision has taken place and 27 Schools and settings have been awarded grants to help them to set up new or expand existing provision from September 2024; and ensure it is sustainable until 2026 whilst demand for the new places grows.

If you wish to set up new or expand your current wraparound provision you can apply for funding to help you with set up costs and to meet running costs whilst you build up demand over the academic years 2024/25 and 2025/26.

(Guidance notes) / (Application form / Financial Forecast Tool)

Parents will still be responsible for paying for the wraparound care they use but you can help by directing them to the financial support they can access to help with costs.

Funding applications will be considered by the funding panel on a monthly basis and the table below gives panel and application deadline dates:

All grants approved will be subject to sign up to a legal funding agreement which includes provision of termly management information.

Discovering Playwork training

Wraparound Networking events