National Meeting – book now!
We are delighted to invite local authority colleagues to join us at a national meeting in central London on Tuesday 24th June.
The meeting will focus on final plans and preparations for September 2025 and 2026 for early years and wraparound childcare. Our aim is to extend the experiences of online and regional meetings, and to open up wider relationships and information exchanges to benefit all of our work. An agenda will be issued in the near future.
Approximate timings for the event will be 10am - 3.30pm, with arrival and registration from 9.15am.
For now, please reserve your place (currently limiting places to two colleagues per LA).
Booking link: https://forms.office.com/e/2WntwLcZP1
Regional Network Meetings – bookings are now closed
Thank you to everyone who has booked a place for the spring regional network meetings. Bookings are now closed. If you have any questions or need to make any changes to your booking, please email childcareworks@mottmac.com
Resources
- New resource - Childcare Works Resource Directory April 2025
Childcare Works has collated and categorised resources, guidance and best practice available on the LAB and HUB to make access as easy as possible. View the directory in the Childcare Works LAB - New resources - Guidance to support maintained schools and academy trusts implement the National Wraparound Childcare Programme
To support the delivery of the National Wraparound Childcare programme, Childcare Works has created a series of recorded information sessions for anyone who is exploring how the National Wraparound Childcare Programme can be delivered in a maintained school or academy trust including:
- Maintained school and trust leaders
- Governing boards in maintained schools
- Academy trust boards and local governing bodies
- Practitioners and teaching staff
The content is split into seven recorded sessions:
- Sessions One to Four contain information to help schools determine their role within the programme.
- Session Five is a series of guides to support setting up of provision.
- Session Six is about ongoing monitoring of provision.
- Session Seven is for schools who would like to work with a PVI.
How to use: Recordings can be accessed directly by schools, or you may choose to use parts or the series in your school engagement support programme. The recordings are accompanied by a checklist and can be accessed in any order. The checklist can be used with schools or by schools to track which recordings have been accessed and signposts to additional resources mentioned during the session.
View the package on the HUB now.
- Slides now available for Early Years Sufficiency Planning and Schools: Delivering Early Years Entitlements in Maintained Schools and Academies
The session delivered earlier this month explored how LAs are working with schools in the development and delivery of place creation strategies for 9-months-old up to school age in preparation for September 2025. View the slides on the LAB.
- Updated to reflect new guidance - Invoicing, consumables and charging structures video – share with providers
Effective management of invoicing consumables and charging structures is crucial for maintaining transparency and fairness as required by the DfE statutory and operational guidance. This recording considers the requirements of the operational guidance and explores invoicing good practice. Hear first-hand a provider’s experience of defining consumables vs. equipment and resources, how to develop fair and transparent charging structures as well as considering the importance of monitoring and reviewing charging practices. Watch the updated video on the HUB.
Upcoming webinars in May / June
Childcare Works free webinars for Early Years and Wraparound providers and schools
We will be running informal, friendly and informative live sessions to support all EY and WA providers and schools where they can find out more about the wealth of resources, guidance and information available to support them.
Please share this suggested copy and social assets with your local providers and schools:
Childcare Works free webinars for Early Years and Wraparound Childcare providers and schools. Join one of the upcoming Childcare Works live sessions and find out more about the wealth of resources, guidance and information available to support you.
Find out more and sign up at childcareworks.org.uk/webinars
Webinars for Local Authorities:
Wraparound - Constructs of quality in wraparound care - this session will explore notions of quality practice in wraparound. By examining key principles of quality practice local authority officers will consider how they can best use existing resource to support and encourage high quality practice across the settings they support. Monday 12 May 1000-1130 https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/258acf10-7489-42c4-a7df-b682584cd869@a2bed0c4-5957-4f73-b0c2-a811407590fb
Early Years - PACEY Childminding week 2025: LA forum – join PACEY Chief Exec, Helen Donohoe, and Childcare Works Programme Director, Kate Haythornthwaite as they sit down with LAs from across the country to talk about the work they do to recruit, retain and stabilise the number of childminders in their area. Tuesday 13 May 1100-1200 Childminding Week: Virtual Local Authority Forum (England) - PACEY
