Agenda item

Purpose:

To receive a position update on the Welsh Government scheme to provide 30 hours free childcare for nursery age children and to discuss the implementation in Monmouthshire.

Key Issues:

What is the Childcare Offer?

• The Childcare Offer is a Welsh Government funded scheme that aims to support working parents with childcare costs and to help parents progress into work.
• This offer runs alongside the universal offer for Foundation Phase Nursery education.
• In Monmouthshire, parents can access their FPN education at an LA Nursery or with an approved non-maintained provider.
• LA Nursery provision is 12.5 hours per week; approved non-maintained settings are funded for 10 hours per week.
• During term time, the 30 hours available through the Childcare Offer is made up of a combination of FPN and childcare. If parents don’t access Foundation Phase Nursery provision, they can only receive funding for up to 20 hours of free childcare.
• The Childcare Offer is available for 48 weeks of the year; during 9 weeks of the school holidays, the full 30 hours can be taken as childcare.

Who is eligible for the Childcare Offer?

• The Childcare Offer is available to working parents from the term following their child’s 3^rd birthday until they are offered a place in full time education; in Monmouthshire, this is when they enter Reception in the September following their 4^th birthday.
• The criteria for working parents is that both parents / lone parent / carer must earn equivalent to at least 16 hours a week at National Living Wage or National Minimum Wage and neither parent must earn more than £100,000 a year.

How has it been implemented in Monmouthshire?

• Monmouthshire is only an engagement authority; Newport City Council is the delivery authority for the Childcare Offer in Monmouthshire.
• As an engagement authority, we are required to engage with parents and childcare providers to promote the Childcare Offer. We appointed a Childcare Engagement Officer who commenced in January 2019; she supports parents and childcare providers through the application process and has advertised the offer extensively throughout Monmouthshire.
• Newport City Council manage the application process with parents and childcare providers, checking eligibility and distributing the funding.
• They had a few problems initially with their database provider, so there were delays to the application process for the autumn term and parents were unable to use the online application form. These issues have now been resolved and parents are able to complete their application and upload documents online, so the process has been much smoother. From the spring term onwards, childcare providers are also able to log into a portal to submit invoices and attendance data.

Where can parents access the Childcare Offer?

• FPN education can only be accessed in an LA Nursery or with an approved non-maintained provider. We currently have 12 LA nurseries and 27 approved non-maintained providers. Take up of places is monitored termly and we currently have surplus places in all areas of Monmouthshire.
• The childcare element can be accessed with any registered childcare provider. To date, we have 90 providers of different childcare types registered to provide childcare through the Childcare Offer for Monmouthshire families, as follows:

Ø  Childminders – 27 registered

Ø  Day nurseries and playgroups –  37 registered

Ø  Out of county providers – 26 registered

How many Monmouthshire families have taken up the Childcare Offer?

• There were 507 applications for the spring term 2019. As of 5^th April 2019, 469 of these had been approved, 22 had been refused as parents were not eligible and 16 were awaiting further information.
• To date, there have been an additional 67 applications received for the summer term 2019 and 43 of these have been approved.

Member Scrutiny:

The Select Committee received a briefing paper from the Early Years Manager providing a position update on the scheme to provide 30 hours free childcare for nursery age children.  Questions were invited as follows:

·         A Member said the scheme would make an enormous difference but queried the provision available in maintained and non-maintained settings in respect of the education and childcare elements.  It was noted that maintained settings do not offer any childcare elements and consequently parents have to take their children elsewhere for wraparound care.  There was also a concern that non-maintained settings will still charge a top up fee to fit in with their session times which will be a pressure for parents. This being the case, it was questioned what the authority will do to provide childcare. 

It was responded that the Welsh Government guidance is clear that schools are not to provide childcare.  This can only be provided in non-maintained settings as they are inspected and registered by Care Inspectorate Wales.  The authority has worked closely with non-maintained settings in the county to ensure the provision of wraparound care which is either on school sites or close by where the staff collect the children from the nursery.  Such care is available for approximately a school length day.  Parents can claim the funding for up to two childcare elements.  It was confirmed that Monmouthshire is well placed for wraparound care and only one or two schools don’t have childcare within walking distance.

Regarding the number of local authority non-maintained settings, this was decided many years ago with the intention of providing more flexible opportunities as school nurseries are limited to 2.5 hours. In Monmouthshire, this has led to parents choosing non-maintained over maintained settings.

It was agreed that top up fees are a significant issue; not for eligible working parents who will have the childcare element funded but for more deprived families who are not eligible especially if for a full session for which there will be a charge.  Some non-maintained settings have agreed to allow two hours only free of charge; this is generally not taken up.

The authority is looking at more flexibility to meet needs of working parents.

·         Regarding Welsh Government’s financing of the scheme, it was queried if the amount was sufficient to meet costs. It was responded that, in Wales, £4.50 per hour is the set rate for all providers and the authority receives an administration fee.  There is a different system in England.  Providers are not permitted to charge any more.  Some child minders claim to be worse off.  Welsh Government have committed to review the rate.

·         A Member found the various combinations allowable under the scheme complicated and confusing.  Examples of the combinations for up to 48 weeks per year were provided.  It was explained that leaflets have been produced for settings to explain the scheme to parents.

·         It was queried how the take up of 50% compares with other authorities.  It was responded that the first pilot year was evaluated and there is also evaluation this year.  Take up is higher in Monmouthshire than other areas. There is no comparative data with similar profile counties currently.

·         A Member noted that there is a new nursery planned in Portskewett and asked for an update.  It was explained that there was an opportunity for a capital funding bid and this will be used for a standalone provision run by a non-maintained setting on the school site.  Foundation Phase nursery education and wraparound care will be offered, from 9.00 a.m. until 3.00 p.m. and possibly in school holidays.  Discussion with the Diocese is in progress.  The need for additional school places is also under consideration.

The Chair thanked the Officer for the update.