Early Years Entitlement Capital Grant Application 2024

Tender description

In the Government’s Spring Budget 2023, the Chancellor announced transformative reforms to childcare, including: • The introduction of 30 hours of free childcare for children over the age of nine months. This will be introduced in phases with qualifying working parents of 2- year-olds able to access 15 hours a week from April 2024, qualifying working parents of children aged 9-months up to 3-years-olds able to access 15 hours a week from September 2024, and qualifying working parents from 9-months to 3- years-olds able to access 30 hours a week from September 2025. • Investing £289 million in start-up funding to increase the supply of wraparound care in primary schools – tackling the barriers to working caused by limited availability of wraparound care. This programme will enable providers (including schools) and Councils to test flexible ways of providing childcare and gather evidence of what works. Section 6 of the Childcare Act 2006 requires local Councils, so far as reasonably practicable, to ensure that there is sufficient childcare for children up to 14 years old (or older if the child is disabled) available in their area to enable parents to work or train for work. Councils are required to secure free provision for children eligible for the early years’ entitlements. The amendments to the Childcare ((Free of Charge for Working Parents) (England) Regulations 2022 places a duty on local councils to provide free early years entitlements places for children eligible for the extended 30-hours entitlement from the term after they reach the age of 9-months age eligible until the child starts school. The grant funding is intended to support the childcare sector to provide the additional places required as a result of these reforms in recognition that access to capital can limit providers ability to create additional capacity in areas of need. All projects must support the Council’s statutory duty of sufficiency and evidence how new places will be created and made available to families and also contribute to the delivery of the 6 missions of the Council Plan through achievement of the following outcomes: • Increased number of early years and childcare places • Increased take up of early years entitlement places and wraparound childcare provision • Children have improved educational attainment • Parents are able to return to work, increase their working ours or study • Increase sustainability of local childcare businesses. There is a formal application process to ensure fairness and to support local delivery of the childcare expansion programme. Please refer to the attached documents for full details and how to submit your application. Keywords: childcare, nursery