Purpose

In the spring budget of 2023, the then
Chancellor announced that the government would give local
authorities £289 million in start-up funding over two
academic years, starting in September 2024,
to set up wraparound childcare provision.
The government’s ambition is for all parents of primary
school children who need it, can access childcare in their local
area from 8am-6pm. This will help to ensure that parents have
enough
childcare to work full time, more hours and with flexible hours.
Local authorities have an existing responsibility to ensure
sufficient childcare for children up to the age of 14. This
programme and
funding will therefore be delivered through local
authorities.
The wraparound programme is based on a ‘pump prime’
model, whereby relatively small amounts of government funds are
provided to spur growth. As it aims to remove barriers to setting
up new
provision or expanding current provision, including removing the
financial risk of setting up new provision when demand is not yet
guaranteed.

Content

In November 2023, a Rule 16 decision was made
by the Mayor to accept a grant allocation of up to £2.17m as
part of the national Wraparound Childcare Programme. This decision
also contained
agreement to “delegate decisions on the allocation of the
grant within its terms and conditions to the Assistant Director:
Partnerships, Early Intervention & Localities in consultation
with the Assistant Director of Finance and Cabinet Member for
Children and Young People and Schools”.
This Officer Decision Record is to approve the spend and planning
that has been proposed and completed since the start of the
programme and future spend running until the end of the programme
in March 2026.