Childcare available places assessed

Childcare available places against known demand assessed

The Childcare Sufficiency Assessment was approved at Monday’s cabinet meeting (6 March).

The Childcare Sufficiency Assessment details and assesses availability of early years and childcare available places against known demand to a very local level. This includes childcare places for children aged up to two, the supply and take up of funded free entitlement places for two, three and four-year-olds and after school and holiday childcare provision for five to 14-year-olds, and five to 19-year-olds in the case of children with disabilities.

The assessment also covers other elements including childcare costs, workforce qualifications and identifies any gaps in early years and childcare supply and demand and make forward plans to address any identified issues.

New government legislation and guidance means a new 30-hour childcare entitlement for families of three and four-year-olds who meet strict eligibility criteria linked to employment and income will be introduced.

From 1 April 2017, a number of early years providers in the maintained school sector will see their funding decrease as a result of changes to funding formulas, and the Council will also see a decrease in the amount of funding it can retain from the early years funding block for its costs in administering the free entitlements.

Key work areas and tasks for the coming year identified within the sufficiency assessment are:

Encourage development of two-year-old places in schools and other providers, in identified areas of under supply, particularly Newbold, Balderstone and Kirkholt, and Smallbridge/Wardle Edge.

Encourage development of varying models of service delivery including joint working between providers from different sectors to facilitate supply of places to meet the new 30-hour entitlement, particularly in areas where lack of group provision inhibits place development and access.

Develop processes and business planning support for providers facing sustainability issues.

Develop and implement a new funding formula in line with new government guidance.

Introduce monitoring systems to assess effects on existing free entitlements arising from the introduction of the 30-hour childcare entitlement.

Introduce systems for checking ongoing eligibility of parents for 30-hour entitlement.

Continue to share instances of unmet demand with all childcare providers and encourage them to expand their provision where appropriate to meet identified need.

Work with the 10 AGMA councils to develop joint working and protocols in relation to all early years delivery and administration.