Childcare providers bid for extra cash to meet demand
TEAMS across Lancashire are working to prepare for an increase in the number of hours of free childcare provided for parents every week.
From next September, eligible families will be offered 30 hours of free childcare, compared with the current 15.
A report to Lancashire County Council’s education scrutiny committee gives an update on the work so far, along with details of childcare providers across the county.
The report says the council’s early education and early years teams are working with the childcare sector to prepare for the increase, developed by central government to allow parents to return to work.
It says: “Consultation has taken place through the Early Education Consultative Group to look at how childcare providers can prepare.
“As part of this work, settings across Lancashire have been able to apply for capital grants from central government to enable them to expand as necessary where there may be a shortage of childcare places within an area.
Six capital bids have been submitted by settings in Lancashire and we are expected to hear back on whether we have been successful in December 2016.
“A steering group has been established to assist with the implementation of the extended entitlement of 30 hours free childcare and key areas of work include: sufficiency, communication to parents and professionals, systems development, payments and contracts.”
The details are within a report to the committee, due to be discussed at a meeting next week.
The report provides an update on the work of the teams, and gives details on the quality of the current childcare provision across Lancashire. It says the county has more than 2,000 ‘childcare settings’, including childminders, nurseries, breakfast clubs and after-school clubs.
It says 95 per cent of all childcare across Lancashire is judged to be good or outstanding by Ofsted, compared with a national average of 86 per cent.