National wraparound childcare programme

• The government announced, in the Spring Budget in March 2023, a national wraparound programme to support access to wraparound 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
• Cheshire East Wrapround Childcare Sufficiency Assessment February 2024 (PDF, 4.2MB)

Grant funding

• Grant funding is available until 31 March 2026. This includes revenue and capital projects.
• The programme is designed to fund the initial setup or expansion of wraparound provision where there is clear demand, and remove the financial risk of setting up or expanding wraparound provision where sufficient demand is not guaranteed to sustain provision from the start but where sufficient demand may be built over time as parents are assured of the supply of places. The funding is intended to create new places and not to sustain existing provision.
• Funding will be targeted to areas of undersupply and to projects that demonstrate they will be self-sustaining from the end of the planned programme (i.e. 1 April 2026 onwards).

DfE National Guidance

• Wraparound childcare guidance for schools
• Wraparound childcare: guidance for local authorities

Cheshire East grant policies

• Wraparound childcare revenue grant policy (PDF, 225KB)
• Childcare expansion capital policy (PDF, 270KB)
• Sample grant agreement childcare expansion capital (PDF, 515KB)
• Sample grant agreement wraparound revenue (PDF, 505KB)

Application process for revenue and capital grant funding

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

• Wraparound revenue funding application form (MS Word, 85KB)
• Capital funding application form (MS Word, 90KB)
• Revenue and capital application forms guidance notes (PDF, 175KB)
• Business plan for revenue and capital grants (MS Word, 163KB)
• 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.

Childcare expansion capital funding for childcare providers

Capital funding is available to support the expansion of the early education entitlements.

Monitor this page for updates or email Earlyyearsandchildcareteam@cheshireeast.gov.uk if you would like any further information.