Early Years and Childcare

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Childcare Expansion Capital Funding

Background

In the Government’s Spring Budget 2023, the Chancellor announced transformative reforms to childcare, including:

  • The introduction of 30 hours of free childcare for children over the age of nine months. This will be introduced in phases from April 2024 with all qualifying working parents from 9-months to 3-years-olds able to access 30 hours a week from September 2025.
  • Investing in start-up funding to increase the supply of wraparound care in primary schools.

West Sussex County Council (WSCC) has been allocated £1.87m in capital grant funding which may contribute to capital costs associated with projects that increase the supply of early years place and/or wraparound childcare for primary-school aged children. It is estimated that around 80% of this grant will support the development of additional early years places and 20% for wraparound childcare (approximately £1.498m and £374k respectively, countywide), however there is flexibility for the local authority to use this as they see fit to meet the aims of the expansion.

WSCC will be focusing on projects that will increase the physical capacity of early years and wraparound provision in local areas where demand is likely to exceed existing supply. WSCC will also consider projects that will adapt or improve facilities to expand their use or make places available for a wider range of needs, including for children with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND).

WSCC invited the first round of capital grant applications in November 2024 following an expression of interest process. Following the first round of capital grant applications in November 2024 further capital grant funding remains available to support additional projects.

Capital Funding Applications

WSCC are pleased to now invite further applications for the Childcare Expansion Capital Grant Funding to support the creation of additional early years and or wraparound childcare places made available by September 2025.

Projects will be assessed in line with the Childcare Expansion Capital Grant - Allocations Guidance and reviewed by the capital grant funding panel.

Please note, the grant is limited and as such unlikely to cover the costs of a new building, however may be able to contribute toward this in areas where there is clear demand for additional places. WSCC would expect that, in most cases, the funded awarded to successful projects will not exceed £50,000.

How to apply

Please find attached in the document section the Childcare Expansion Capital Grant Funding Application Form which you will need to complete and submit. In addition to completing the application form please refer to section 6 which provides a checklist of supporting documents you are also required to submit.

Please note, to assess cost certainty the panel require a full breakdown of the costed activity you are seeking capital funding for including three quotations/estimates for each element of your plan costing £15,000 and over.

Any submitted incomplete applications/supporting documentation will not progress to the funding panel to be assessed until all required information is provided.

The deadline to submit your application form is Friday 14th February 2025.

For any questions during this process, please contact: ChildcareExpansionGrants@westsussex.gov.uk(External link).

Providers are advised to read the following documents thoroughly before submitting their application:

Privacy Statement

West Sussex County Council will use this expression of interest to collect some personal data which is necessary for the performance of a contract with the data subject and/or take steps to enter into a further contract. This data will be processed in accordance with the 2018 Data Protection Act, the UK General Data Protection Regulations and any subsequent relevant data and will only be used for the purpose stated. The data we collect will be held securely on computer for a period of up to seven years before being appropriately destroyed. We will not use the data for any other purpose. West Sussex County Council is registered as Data Controller (Reg. No. Z6413427). For further information, please see the West Sussex County Council Privacy Policy(opens in new window).

Accessibility and alternate formats

If you require any of this information in an alternative format, then please contact us by phone 01243 777807 or via email at ChildcareExpansionGrants@westsussex.gov.uk(External link) and we will assist you.

If you are deaf or hard of hearing and have an NGT texting app installed on your computer, laptop or smartphone, you can contact us on 18001 01243 777807.

For more information about the accessibility of this website, please see our Accessibility tab (opens in new window) at the foot of the page.

Childcare Expansion Capital Funding

Background

In the Government’s Spring Budget 2023, the Chancellor announced transformative reforms to childcare, including:

  • The introduction of 30 hours of free childcare for children over the age of nine months. This will be introduced in phases from April 2024 with all qualifying working parents from 9-months to 3-years-olds able to access 30 hours a week from September 2025.
  • Investing in start-up funding to increase the supply of wraparound care in primary schools.

West Sussex County Council (WSCC) has been allocated £1.87m in capital grant funding which may contribute to capital costs associated with projects that increase the supply of early years place and/or wraparound childcare for primary-school aged children. It is estimated that around 80% of this grant will support the development of additional early years places and 20% for wraparound childcare (approximately £1.498m and £374k respectively, countywide), however there is flexibility for the local authority to use this as they see fit to meet the aims of the expansion.

WSCC will be focusing on projects that will increase the physical capacity of early years and wraparound provision in local areas where demand is likely to exceed existing supply. WSCC will also consider projects that will adapt or improve facilities to expand their use or make places available for a wider range of needs, including for children with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND).

WSCC invited the first round of capital grant applications in November 2024 following an expression of interest process. Following the first round of capital grant applications in November 2024 further capital grant funding remains available to support additional projects.

Capital Funding Applications

WSCC are pleased to now invite further applications for the Childcare Expansion Capital Grant Funding to support the creation of additional early years and or wraparound childcare places made available by September 2025.

Projects will be assessed in line with the Childcare Expansion Capital Grant - Allocations Guidance and reviewed by the capital grant funding panel.

Please note, the grant is limited and as such unlikely to cover the costs of a new building, however may be able to contribute toward this in areas where there is clear demand for additional places. WSCC would expect that, in most cases, the funded awarded to successful projects will not exceed £50,000.

How to apply

Please find attached in the document section the Childcare Expansion Capital Grant Funding Application Form which you will need to complete and submit. In addition to completing the application form please refer to section 6 which provides a checklist of supporting documents you are also required to submit.

Please note, to assess cost certainty the panel require a full breakdown of the costed activity you are seeking capital funding for including three quotations/estimates for each element of your plan costing £15,000 and over.

Any submitted incomplete applications/supporting documentation will not progress to the funding panel to be assessed until all required information is provided.

The deadline to submit your application form is Friday 14th February 2025.

For any questions during this process, please contact: ChildcareExpansionGrants@westsussex.gov.uk(External link).

Providers are advised to read the following documents thoroughly before submitting their application:

Privacy Statement

West Sussex County Council will use this expression of interest to collect some personal data which is necessary for the performance of a contract with the data subject and/or take steps to enter into a further contract. This data will be processed in accordance with the 2018 Data Protection Act, the UK General Data Protection Regulations and any subsequent relevant data and will only be used for the purpose stated. The data we collect will be held securely on computer for a period of up to seven years before being appropriately destroyed. We will not use the data for any other purpose. West Sussex County Council is registered as Data Controller (Reg. No. Z6413427). For further information, please see the West Sussex County Council Privacy Policy(opens in new window).

Accessibility and alternate formats

If you require any of this information in an alternative format, then please contact us by phone 01243 777807 or via email at ChildcareExpansionGrants@westsussex.gov.uk(External link) and we will assist you.

If you are deaf or hard of hearing and have an NGT texting app installed on your computer, laptop or smartphone, you can contact us on 18001 01243 777807.

For more information about the accessibility of this website, please see our Accessibility tab (opens in new window) at the foot of the page.

  • Early Years and Childcare Provider Feedback Survey

    The Early Years and Childcare (EYC) Team value the feedback we receive from providers. We use all feedback to celebrate the work of our team and to improve the service we provide.

    Please note, that this link is for feedback for our team only and is not the process for making a complaint. If you have a complaint that you have been unable to resolve with our team directly, you can do this using the West Sussex County Council  make a complaint or appeal process.

    Please note, in most cases we will not respond to you about the comments the feedback you provide below, but the information will be shared with EYC Team Managers.

    Thank you for your feedback. We will share this with the EYC Team Managers and use your comments to inform how we support settings. In most cases, we will not respond to you about your feedback.

    Take Survey
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Page last updated: 17 Dec 2024, 02:11 PM