Wraparound Childcare Programme

Capital Grant Process

The £1.5m capital funding is being provided to meet the capital costs associated with projects that help ensure sufficient places for:

• Children taking up an early years place through the expanded 30-hours entitlement for qualifying working parents
• Increasing the supply of wraparound childcare for primary-school aged children

How the capital can be spent

1. The capital grant must be spent on Capital Costs and focussed on projects that will increase the physical capacity of early years and wraparound provision in local areas where demand is likely to exceed existing supply. The focus will be to retain existing quality provision or create new places which are accessible to all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.
2.  The funding can be used to provide new places in a range of provider types, where these are offering the 30-hours early years entitlement and/or providing wraparound provision for primary-aged children.
3. To be considered capital expenditure the asset must bring an economic benefit, and able to be depreciated, over more than one financial year.
4. The joint capital funding will be considered in depth across both the free childcare expansion and wraparound childcare programme to create sufficiency of childcare places across Norfolk.
5. Examples of projects, for both childcare or wraparound places, could include those that:

• create new childcare places, whether via the creation of new settings, or expanding provision in existing providers;
• retain existing childcare places when existing environment is beyond repair
• adapt, re-model or improve existing childcare places to make them suitable for a wider range of needs;
• purchase fixed assets such as building modifications to enable use of space outside main school/setting operating hours, e.g., secure external access, outside lighting to enable outdoor space to be used year-round
• purchase new physical assets such as minibus purchase (to support a hub model of wrapround provision), play equipment (including outdoor play equipment), or tables and chairs.

6. The capital grant funding is not intended for:

• routine maintenance or refurbishment of premises;
• capital works to maintain and improve the condition of the school estate
•  childcare providers not providing Early Years entitlements or wraparound care
• revenue expenditure of any kind, such as training or staff costs, resources/assets that do not meet the definition of capital expenditure given above (such as toys, books, clothing)

Please see the website for more information around the criteria and the process for applying

The initial round closed on 24^th May 2024. Future rounds will be advertised directly to providers as and when the application process re-opens.

Revenue Grant Process

Revenue funding can be used to fund new and expanded wraparound provision, either to meet current demand or guarantee supply to build future demand. Childcare provision funded from this grant must meet the definition of wraparound childcare, i.e., be available directly before and after the school day, from 8am to 6pm (or equivalent, if data shows that local demand is for different hours) during school term time for primary school-age children.

How the revenue can be spent

The funding is tapered over 5 terms (Summer 2024 to Spring 2026), which can cover:

• Staffing
• Training including specialist training for staff to ensure they feel equipped to support children with additional needs
• to provide free or subsidised places for children of wraparound staff
• transport costs
• resources
• running costs whilst demand builds (to remove any financial risk to providers of offering additional places before demand is guaranteed)

The revenue grant should not be used for:

• Subsidising cost of places as new places created by the programme as they should be paid for by parents
• Running costs for existing wraparound childcare places
• Equipment or supplies which have an expected shelf life of more than one year where either the purchase price is in excess of £500 or is a group of lower value items where the combined value is in excess of £500

For more information around the criteria and the process for applying.  

Wraparound Panel meets on a fortnightly basis so that any applications can be reviewed quickly.