Issue - meetings

The Council has a statutory duty to provide working families of children aged 0-14 (18 with SEND) enough childcare places in its area, where reasonably practicable.  Each year Research and Children’s Services colleagues assess the position of the market, providing parent’s, councillors, schools and private business ward level information as a planning tool to support access or expansion of places where needed, while highlighting areas of concern for the year ahead.

The content of the assessment concludes that the Council is meeting its statutory duties. It is also important to highlight that, at the time of writing, the quality of our providers stands at 98.5% good or outstanding (compared to 96.5% in England).

The Government has announced the largest ever expansion of childcare entitlements, through two ambitious childcare programmes to support working families with implementation commences April 2024. The information and data provided through the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment is vital to support council officers to manage a significant increase in demand over the coming years, as well as supporting private businesses seeking to enter the market and help the Council fulfil its statutory duties. The Council has received notification of DfE Delivery Support funding and capital funding to support the expansion of places for early years and primary aged wraparound care.

In addition to a briefing paper (appendix 1) the high level data that helped form our 2023 assessment is accessible here.

RECOMMENDED that Cabinet approved the content of the review and the priorities (areas of concern) as set out in the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment 2023 Briefing Paper.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Children and Young People

Reason

To fulfil the Council’s statutory duty to annually assess its childcare market.

The Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'I' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that the Council has a statutory duty to provide working families of children aged 0-14 (18 with SEND) enough childcare places in its area, where reasonably practicable, and that each year Research and Children’s Services colleagues assess the position of the market, providing parent’s, councillors, schools and private business ward level information as a planning tool to support access or expansion of places where needed, while highlighting areas of concern for the year ahead.

Cabinet was informed that the content of the assessment concluded that the Council is meeting its statutory duties, and that at the time of writing, the quality of our providers stands at 98.5% good or outstanding (compared to 96.5% in England).

Further to this Cabinet was advised that the Government has announced the largest ever expansion of childcare entitlements, through two ambitious childcare programmes to support working families with implementation commences April 2024.

Cabinet was informed that the information and data provided through the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment is vital to support council officers to manage a significant increase in demand over the coming years, as well as supporting private businesses seeking to enter the market and help the Council fulfil its statutory duties, and that the Council has received notification of DfE Delivery Support funding and capital funding to support the expansion of places for early years and primary aged wraparound care.

RECOMMENDED that Cabinet approved the content of the review and the priorities (areas of concern) as set out in the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment 2023 Briefing Paper.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Children and Young People

Reason

To fulfil the Council’s statutory duty to annually assess its childcare market.