Wraparound Childcare – Devon Application Process for Schools and Early Years Settings has gone ‘Live’

Devon is welcoming applications from schools, and providers to start wraparound childcare provision from September 2024.

Guidance is available on how schools should respond to requests for wraparound childcare. The ambition is that by 2026, all parents and carers of primary school-aged children who need it will be able to access term time childcare in their local area from 8am-6pm, so that parents can access employment and improve labour market participation.

Wraparound childcare is childcare that is provided before and after the conventional school day. It can also refer to provision in the school holidays. Many parents rely on the invaluable support from wraparound childcare to enable them to work, therefore it needs to be regular and dependable.

Wraparound and holiday childcare can either be:

• On a school’s site (run in-house by the school or in partnership with a provider)
• At a nearby school or private, voluntary or independent (PVI) provider.

Parents can request that the school their child attends considers establishing wraparound or holiday childcare, this includes prospective parents.

DCC have now advised schools that the funding will be provided for up to five terms on a reducing amount each term to aim for sustainability. Before completing an application  schools are advised to contact their Early Years and Childcare Advisor (EYCA) to discuss the needs in their area. They have produced an application guidance information pack and a sample parental questionnaire, which are available on their webpage Wraparound childcare – Information for childcare providers (devon.gov.uk)