A report by the Acting Director of Children’s Services informed the Cabinet that, as part of the Government’s Child Poverty Agenda, funding was currently provided through the Early Intervention Grant to enable access to ten hours childcare per week, for 38 weeks of the year, for the most disadvantaged two year olds in the Borough.

The proposal was set against a background of Central Government planning to extend the statutory childcare provision for disadvantaged two year olds.

In September 2013 there would be a statutory entitlement for all disadvantaged two year olds to receive15 hours of funded childcare using the existing criteria, which was put in place in 2009 when the Two Year Old Pilot Scheme was first established nationally.

Children were eligible for the funding if they meet the free school dinner criteria with Looked After two-year-olds, two years with a disability and those receiving support from the Family Nurse Partnership (parents under 19 year old).  This criterion had been put in place as part of the original pilot scheme and had not changed.

With the increase of funding in 2012-2013 of £569,000 there were two options:

Option A: fund some increase in the number of children and increase the number of hours from ten to 15; or

Option B: fund a larger number of children receiving the entitlement of ten hours (and then increase their hours in the subsequent year inline with government policy)

The report proposed option A.

RESOLVED:

That agreement be given to fund some increase in the number of children and to increase the entitlement to a funded place for eligible two year olds from the current ten hours per week to 15 hours per week from September 2012.