Issue details

In Spring 2023, the Department for Education (DfE) announced reforms to childcare. This included the introduction of additional entitlements to 30 hours of free childcare for children over the age of nine months, to be introduced in a phased approach and investing in a national wraparound childcare programme to support parents access paid for term-time childcare from 8am-6pm.

In December 2023, the DfE announced the Childcare Expansion Capital Grant funding allocation for West Sussex of £1.872m. This funding is provided to support delivery of the reforms, enabling the expansion of providers of Early Years and Wraparound Care.

Bids for an allocation of funding from the capital grant were sought from providers of Early Years and Wraparound Care during the autumn of 2024. Following a detailed prioritisation exercise, during February 2025 the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Learning and Skills will be asked to approve the distribution of funds to projects that meet the County Council’s priorities.

As not all the capital grant is to be allocated a second bidding round has opened seeking further applications for the creation of early years and/or wraparound childcare places that meet the Council’s priorities.  As part of the decision to approve the distribution of funds from the first bidding round the cabinet member will also be asked to delegate authority to the Assistant Director (Education and Skills) to agree the remainder of the projects to be delivered up to the total grant value of £1.872m.

Following closure of the second bidding round and assessment of the bids the Assistant Director (Education and Skills) will be asked to approve the allocation of funds to projects enabling the delivery of early years and wraparound childcare places.