Issue - meetings

A new Early Years Single Funding Formula (EYSFF) for BCP is required for April 2024 and consultation with the early years sector has now concluded.

The DfE notified local authorities of their funding agreement on 29 November 2023, with substantial changes from 2023-24. A group of provider representatives helped to shape the proposal and indicated that their preference was to avoid consulting with the sector during or just before the Christmas break, which Children’s Services agreed to. 

The governments biggest expansion of childcare entitlements begins this year and the proposed EYSFF includes funding rates for the children of working parents aged 9-36 months for the first time.  These changes, along with a revision to the way children with SEND are funded, introducing a Deprivation Supplement to support our most disadvantaged 9–36-month-old children, a significant uplift in the Council’s central functions and the introduction of a contingency fund formed the proposed EYSFF.

31% of providers engaged with the consultation and were, overall, supportive of the proposed EYSFF.  The consultation response may be seen in Appendix A.

The Early Years Team Manager presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'B' to these Minutes in the Minute Book. The Forum was advised that a new Early Years Single Funding Formula (EYSFF) for BCP was required for April 2024 and consultation with the early years sector had now concluded. The DfE notified local authorities of their funding agreement on 29 November 2023, with substantial changes from 2023-24. A group of provider representatives helped to shape the proposal and indicated that their preference was to avoid consulting with the sector during or just before the Christmas break, which Children’s Services agreed to.

It was noted that the governments biggest expansion of childcare entitlements would begin this year and the proposed EYSFF included funding rates for the children of working parents aged 9-36 months for the first time.  These changes, along with a revision to the way children with SEND were funded, introducing a Deprivation Supplement to support our most disadvantaged 9–36-month-old children, a significant uplift in the Council’s central functions and the introduction of a contingency fund formed the proposed EYSFF.

The Forum were informed that 31% of providers engaged with the consultation which ended on 22 January and were, overall, supportive of the proposed EYSFF.  The consultation response was made available in Appendix A to the report.

In response to a query it was noted that it was highly unlikely that there would be an underspend this year but if there was this would be brought back to forum and there would hopefully be agreement around this being ringfenced to the earl years sector.

It was noted that many Councils were taking a 5 percent automatic top slice. The Early Years Sub-Group had supported a 2.5 percent retention. The Team Manager recorded their thanks to the Sub-Group for their work

RESOLVED that

The proposed 2024-25 EYSFF be recommended to Cabinet for approval.

Voting: Unanimous