Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding Wraparound Childcare.
What is Wraparound Care?
The Wraparound Project is a government initiative to support parents getting back into employment or education as it is designed to give parents access to work/study more hours. As the name suggests, Wraparound Care is to provide childcare that “wraps” around the traditional school day.
The project aims to provide before- and after-school care for all primary schools (including children with SEN needs) in England during term time, between 8 am and 6 pm (subject to change). This can include breakfast clubs, after-school clubs that are usually onsite, or a nearby provision.
Who can Provide Wraparound Care?
Private, voluntary, and independent providers, including childminders and early years provisions, can deliver the wraparound childcare offered within the community. Parents are encouraged to seek support from their local schools or the Family Information Service in the local authority. Providers are expected to set their fees for wraparound places, so prices may differ.
How much will it cost me?
Parents and guardians will pay their wraparound childcare provider directly for their child’s place. Households eligible for Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit Childcare will be able to use the support to help pay for wraparound care.
Tax-free childcare could save eligible parents up to £2,000 per year for children aged up to 11, or £4,000 per year for children aged up to 17 with disabilities.
Universal Credit Childcare could save eligible parents up to 85% of their childcare costs for children aged 5 – 11 years or up to 16 for SEND children.
How do I find wraparound childcare near me?
Parents seeking childcare options for their primary school-aged children are encouraged to contact their child’s school or the local authority’s Family Information Service to learn about the wraparound childcare options currently available in their area.
Families can expect to see an increase in the availability of wraparound childcare places nationwide. There are no specific eligibility requirements for accessing these new wraparound childcare places. We strongly encourage parents to communicate their need for wraparound childcare to their child’s school or the Family Information Service, even if such provision is not yet available locally, Lewisham Early Years - Family Information.
Service.
Can my children access Wraparound care during the school holidays?
No, Wraparound is only funded and can be claimed for the 39 weeks of the year during term time only. This does not include public holidays or any school holiday time.
Some schools run before, and after school clubs is this wraparound childcare?
No. Many schools already offer enrichment and extra-curricular activities before and after the school day, but these are not delivered in a way that meets the government definition of wraparound care as they are not usually consistently available 8am to 6pm five days a week during term time. The government recognises that there may be opportunities where enrichment activities can interact with, complement, or support delivery of wraparound childcare provision.
How much funding can we apply for, is there a cap?
Currently, there is no cap, but you are assessed thoroughly by a panel and are advised to think about this critically as approval of funding is based on:
- Wraparound sufficiency in the area
- Demand for Wraparound in the area
- The number of places being offered
- The type of places being offered
As a school can we decide to take this in-house if a PVI outsources our wraparound provision?
We encourage partnership and aim to not put private companies out of business. Therefore, local schools and private providers will need to work collaboratively around the functionalities of providing wraparound care.
Can we claim places for nursery-aged children?
Wraparound care is aimed at primary school-aged children only. For further information on Early Years Entitlement, please contact: Lucy.Clarke@lewisham.gov.uk
What happens once the funding is finished?
There will be an expectation as a school/PVI to create a robust business plan, ahead of time, focusing on ways to keep their WP sustainable. This is a time limited funding.