Childcare expansion capital funding for childcare providers

The government announced in the Spring Budget of March 2023 - the introduction of 30 hours of free childcare for children over the age of nine months.

This will be introduced in phases giving:

• qualifying working parents of 2-year-olds access to 15 hours a week of free childcare, from April 2024
• qualifying working parents of children aged 9 months up to 3-years-olds access to 15 hours a week from September 2024
• and qualifying working parents from 9 months to 3 -years-olds access to 30 hours a week from September 2025.
• Childcare Sufficiency Assessment
• Cheshire East Wrapround Childcare Sufficiency Assessment February 2024 (PDF, 4.2MB)

Capital grant funding

The programme is designed to support the expansion of childcare places, including:

• 30 hours early years entitlement for working families
• wraparound childcare for primary school aged children

Capital grant funding may be awarded to childcare providers to create additional capacity for childcare places where there is clear demand, by extending existing or creating new provision. The funding is intended to create new places and not to be used for improving the quality of existing provision.

Funding will be targeted to areas of undersupply and to projects that demonstrate they will be self-sustaining

DfE National Guidance

• Childcare expansion capital grant - allocations guidance
• Wraparound childcare: guidance for schools
• Wraparound childcare: guidance for local authorities

Cheshire East Grant Policy

• Childcare expansion capital policy (PDF, 270KB)
• Sample grant agreement childcare expansion capital (PDF, 515KB)

Application process for capital grant funding

To apply, please complete the forms below and return to earlyyearsandchildcareteam@cheshireeast.gov.uk:

• Capital funding application form (MS Word, 90KB)
• Revenue and capital application forms guidance notes (PDF, 180KB)
• Business plan for revenue and capital grants (MS Word, 165KB)
• Business plan guidance notes for revenue and capital grants (PDF, 200KB)
• Income expenditure forecast (MS Excel, 55KB)

Timescales

Important dates to remember

Organisations will be notified to inform them of whether they have been recommended for approval or not within 12 weeks after the closing date for each round of applications.

If you require any support with the application process, please email earlyyearsandchildcareteam@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Childcare Works HUB

The Childcare Works HUB is a one-stop shop hosting a wealth of resources to support childcare providers in the expansion of the Early Year’s Entitlements and the implementation of the Wraparound Programme.

On the Childcare Works HUB you will find a comprehensive library of resources which have been developed to support the roll-out of the early years and wraparound childcare expansion projects.

Resources are continually being developed and new content will be shared throughout the year.

You can access the site at: HUB for Providers.

National wraparound childcare programme

The government also announced revenue funding to promote the national wraparound programme to support access to childcare from 8am to 6pm. ‘Wraparound childcare’ refers to provision directly before and after the school day, during school term time for school age children.

This provision can be offered by schools and private, voluntary and independent (PVI) providers (including childminders and early years settings) and can be run on a school site or at another setting in the area. It should not require parents to pick their children up from school and drop them off at another location.

Increased availability of wraparound care to be available from September 2024.

Monitor the national wraparound childcare programme page for updates or email Earlyyearsandchildcareteam@cheshireeast.gov.uk if you would like any further information.