Since April 2024, working parents of children aged two to five have been eligible for 570 hours of funded childcare. This is usually taken as 15 hours per week, for 38 weeks of the year (term-time), but some providers will allow families to ‘stretch’ their claim to enable fewer hours to be taken per week over a longer period.
From September 2024, 15 hours of government-funded childcare will be extended to all children of working families from the age of nine months.
From September 2025, all working parents of children aged nine months up to three years old can access 30 hours of funded childcare per week.
This phased approach will give childcare providers time to prepare for the changes, ensuring there are enough providers ready to meet demand.
Sufficiency in Cambridgeshire
The Education Capital and Place Planning Team continually monitors the data available to ensure that there are sufficient early years and childcare places for families to access their entitlement in a way that best meets their needs.
Where pressures are identified, these are shared with the market so that those interested can explore the potential for growing their childcare business/starting up.
Providers wishing to develop or expand in response to this market position statement are strongly encouraged to carry out their market research and analysis of available data to safeguard their interests. Please see the early years business sustainability: supplier list and guides for further support.
If you have an interest in expanding or setting up new provisions, please contact the Education Capital and Place Planning Team at placeplanningreferrals0-19@cambridgeshire.gov.uk who can provide further information and support.
What financial support is available?
To support the expansion of the working parent entitlements for children aged from nine months to five years, alongside the launch of the wraparound childcare programme, capital funding is now available for all providers who offer (or are looking to offer) provision that supports the roll-out of either or both of these programmes.
Funding requests will only be considered for capital works and must not be used for revenue expenditure such as staffing, or staff training.
Please read the Cambridgeshire Childcare Capital Expansion Grant process to find out more and to determine if you are eligible for funding.
To apply, please complete the Cambridgeshire Early Years and Wraparound Childcare Programme Funding Grant 2024-25 application form.
Cambridgeshire Childcare Capital Expansion Grant
Early Years Entitlement and Wraparound Project board meetings
This section contains the agendas from the Early Years Entitlement and Wraparound Project Board meetings, which commenced in January 2024, shared for transparency and information. The Project Board plays a vital role in providing strategic direction and governance for the Early Years Expansion and Wraparound project. Its key objectives include:
- Providing strategic direction and governance for the project
- Evaluating the work of workstreams and updating elected members on progress
- Understanding the impact of the project on families with protected characteristics
- Overseeing the allocation and use of capital and capacity funding
- Governing the wraparound grants programme
- Ensuring stakeholder voices, including those of children, are heard and considered
The Project Board is composed of representatives from across the early years and education landscape, including:
- Project Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) – Head of Early Years, Childcare & School Readiness Service
- Project Administration
- Project Manager
- Places and Planning Lead
- Senior Adviser for Quality Improvement
- Senior Adviser for Intervention, Safeguarding and Sustainability
- Senior Adviser for Inclusion & Vulnerable Groups
- Area Education Officer for Huntingdonshire and Early Years
- Strategic Finance Manager
- Head of Targeted Support
- Public Health Representative
- Cambridgeshire Skills Representative
- Health Representatives
- Voluntary Sector Representative
- Private Nursery Provider Representative
- CORAM PACEY Representative
- PINPOINT Representative
If you would like more information about any of the agenda items, please contact Gemma Neal, Area Education Officer for Huntingdonshire and Early Years or via the Early Years Inbox earlyyears.service@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
How are opportunities in Council-owned premises advertised?
The Council uses its Pseudo Dynamic Purchasing System (PDPS) to identify suitable providers of early years and childcare to run settings in council-owned premises. It enables a streamlined method of selecting the most suitable provider while minimising gaps in provision for Cambridgeshire’s families.
If you or your organisation are interested in securing contracts to run early years and childcare from council premises, including schools, you should apply to join the PDPS.
