Wraparound Childcare Programme

Assessing demand

A survey template has been created that can be personalised and used to assess the demand for wraparound childcare locally. The survey gathers information around what wraparound childcare is currently being used as well as preferences for future provision. The survey is completed on a Microsoft form with responses able to be analysed instantly. The survey can be translated into other languages on request.

Please email us at wraparoundchildcare@norfolk.gov.uk should you wish to be sent a survey.

Other methods of assessing demand may be appropriate to use alongside or in place of an online survey to ensure that parents and carers can respond, these can include -

• Parent and carer focus group
• A survey completed in person with parents and carers (either at school drop off or collection)
• Telephone survey

If a wraparound provision is already covering 8am - 6pm Monday to Friday, is at capacity and holding a waiting list, it may not be necessary to assess demand as this is evidenced by the waiting list.

Creating new provision

When creating a new breakfast club and/or after school club, the following points should be considered-

• Operating hours - If not 8am - 6pm Monday to Friday, will the wraparound childcare meet the needs of the families that are eligible to use it?
• Who is eligible to attend; which schools will the provision serve?
• Inclusivity - Are any adaptations or specific resources needed to allow all children that would like to attend to take part? A child's need may be different in a play scenario to a learning environment.
• Space - The space used for wraparound provision should allow children to move around and play. Ideally the children will have free flowing access to the outside. Suitable toilets will be identified for children and staff to use during the clubs. Depending on the proximity of the toilets to the wraparound space, children may need to be escorted to them.
• Maximum numbers - How many children can safely attend the club based on the space available?
• Staffing - Working to an adult to child ratio that is appropriate for the age and needs of the children attending the provision. Provide a level of staffing that safeguards both the children and the staff.
• Training - It is advisable that all wraparound childcare staff receive core training in safeguarding, paediatric first aid and level 2 food hygiene. Additional training in playwork, nutrition, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) as well as many other topics are offered through our wraparound training offer and most are fully funded for wraparound childcare providers extending their places or hours in Norfolk.
• Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or Safeguarding Lead Practitioner (SLP) - A DSL/SLP must be contactable throughout the duration of the wraparound provision.
• Safeguarding - Providers should ensure that both children and staff are safeguarded at the sessions. All staff must have received safeguarding training and be confident in the process for reporting, sharing and recording safeguarding concerns in line with their safeguarding policy. Staff should be professional and be fully aware of how they are conducting themselves in their work with children.
• Policies and procedures - Robust guidelines should be produced and shared with staff as well as families who are using or considering the provision. Details including safeguarding, booking conditions and positive behaviour management should all be included.
• Resources and equipment - Good quality wraparound childcare should be fun and child-led. Consider resources and equipment that allow children that are a range of ages with differing preferences and skills to be able to engage and participate in play. Resources should be stored in an organised manner, allowing children to be able to select and access suitable resources.
• Additional running costs - Opening a venue for a longer period of time will result in increased utility usage and costs. Depending on usual opening and closing arrangements, changes may need to be made to a caretaker's working hours or the responsibility for opening and closing the premises given to the staff member who will be first and last on site.
• Food offer - What food and snacks will you offer? How will you ensure that the food is healthy, nutritious and appetising? What facilities are available for preparing food? If kitchen access is not possible, what portable equipment can be used to offer food? Staff who prepare and serve food must obtain a Level 2 Food Safety certificate. Sufficient crockery and cutlery will need to be sought to serve food. Food choices should be available and dietary requirements/allergies need to be catered for.
• Transitions between wraparound provision, school day and parents/carers - Handovers between parents/carers, school staff and wraparound care staff should be thorough and ensure that important messages, achievements and feedback about all of the child's day are passed on.
• Booking process - Details about how to book wraparound childcare should be easy to follow and well promoted to those who are eligible to attend (including those who could be interested in the near future). The terms and conditions, including late bookings and cancellations should be readily available. Signing up for Tax Free Childcare and offering this saving to parents and carers should be promoted with the booking details.

Contact your Wraparound Development Worker to discuss your plans and to request a revenue grant funding application.

Depending on who is running the provision, there may be some additional factors to consider when creating or developing wraparound childcare, see the following sections:

School run provision

This covers wraparound provision on the school site run by staff employed by the school. Provision can be solely run for children attending the school or may also be offered to children at nearby schools.

• Wraparound staff would be recruited, employed, managed and trained by existing school staff.
• School responsible for promoting wraparound childcare and taking bookings and payments.
• Provision considered as part of the usual Ofsted registration and inspection.

Private, Voluntary & Independent (PVI) run provision on school site

This is when a PVI provider hires an area of the school site to run wraparound provision.

• School to invite PVI providers to apply to run provision. NCC can share this advert and support this process. Interested providers should be shortlisted, interviewed and selected based on the quality of their offer and how it aligns with the needs of the families and the schools values.
• Consider lease arrangements and agree a rental cost for the space that is to be used for wraparound childcare.
• PVI provider is required to register the wraparound provision with Ofsted.
• Provider to promote sessions and manage bookings and payments.
• Regular contact and review between school and provider to ensure high quality provision is being offered and that the school is satisfied it is suitable for the children attending it.
• Consider how information is shared between the school and provider in line with GDPR.

PVI run provision provided off the school site or provided by a childminder

• How will the children be transported to and from the provision venue?
• Which schools will the provision be offered to?
• PVI provider is required to register the wraparound provision with Ofsted.
• Provider to promote sessions and manage bookings and payments.
• Regular contact and review between school and provider to ensure high quality provision is being offered and that the school is satisfied it is suitable for the children attending it.
• Consider how information is shared between the school and provider in line with GDPR.

All new or developed provision will benefit from ongoing contact with a WDW to support quality of wraparound provision and to monitor spend in line with the terms of the allocated funding.

Additional sources of support and information:

• Play England campaigns for all children and young people to have freedom and space to play throughout childhood.
• School Food Standards 
• Tax-Free Childcare sign-up
• Ofsted - How Ofsted inspects out of school childcare provision