We are looking forward to seeing you at the December cluster meetings which start next week.
December cluster meetings
If you haven’t already booked your place, please do so as soon as possible through the following links:
Cluster Meeting | Date | Time | Links |
Northern regions (A) | Monday 1st December | 2:00pm- 3:30pm | |
North West (B) | Wednesday 3rd December | 10:00am - 11:30am | |
Midlands (C) | Wednesday 3rd December | 2:00pm - 3:30pm | |
Midlands 2 (D) | Thursday 4th December | 10:00am - 11:30am | |
London Boroughs 2 (J) | Friday 5th December | 10:00am - 11:30am | |
South East (E) | Tuesday 9th December | 10:00am - 11:30am | |
South West (F) | Tuesday 9th December | 2:00pm - 3:30pm | |
Yorkshire (G) | Wednesday 10th December | 10:00am – 11:30am | |
London Boroughs (H) | Wednesday 10th December | 2:00pm - 3:30pm |
Wraparound MI Submissions – Important Updates
The LA Management Information (MI) template submission deadline is Friday 5th December. Please ensure you quality assure your provider responses in the MI template before submission. Guidance on how you to do this can be found here.
Once this is complete, please email childcareworks@mottmac.com to confirm that you have completed your quality assurance and saved the final MI template version in your LA folder on the CW portal. To aid submission, you can email the helpdesk using the following wording:
“[LA name] confirm we have copied and pasted the provider data from the feeder file to the template, and quality assured this provider data. I confirm the final MI template is saved in our LA folder on SharePoint.”
The above is important to ensure your return is logged as being received by the deadline.
Childminder models of wraparound provision
Coram PACEY report around three-quarters of PACEY members rely upon an element of wraparound childcare. However, the national programme is thought to have reduced demand and there is potential to exploit new opportunities in this space.
Childminding may present an opportunity to increase reach in areas where demand for wraparound childcare is too low to sustain group-based provision, due to rurality, parental working patterns, school size and population demographics.
Childcare Works has worked with three homebased childminders and Cambridgeshire County Council to develop new case studies and best practice guidance which includes:
- Advice from childminders setting up wraparound in non-domestic premises.
- Advice from childminders expanding home-based wrapround provision.
- Advice for local authorities on establishing wraparound with childminders.
Join us for the launch webinar of this guidance on Wednesday 17th December, 1.30pm-2.30pm where Childcare Works and Coram Pacey will explore the steps local authorities can take to develop models of delivery to support sustainability of the wraparound programme. This includes exploring opportunities to strengthen strategic links between schools, childminders, and local authorities.
Register here: Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
Regional Meetings – Bookings open
Bookings are now open for the February 2026 regional meetings.
You can book your place and we will follow up with a formal invite to confirm your place: February 2026 regional meeting booking form
Dates and locations are shown below - each meeting will run from 10.00am to 3.30pm, with arrival and registration from 9.30am. In the first instance, places are limited to two per local authority. An agenda will be shared in due course.
Location | Date | Venue |
Leeds | Tuesday 3rd February 2026 | Hilton City Centre, Leeds LS1 4BX |
Manchester | Wednesday 4th February 2026 | Radisson Park Inn, Manchester M4 4EW |
London (1) | Thursday 5th February 2026 | Coram Campus, London WC1N 1AZ |
London (2) | Tuesday 10th February 2026 | Coram Campus, London WC1N 1AZ |
Birmingham | Wednesday 11th February 2026 | Park Regis Hotel Birmingham B15 1DT |
Exeter | Thursday 12th February 2026 | Sandy Park, Exeter, EX2 7NN |
January cluster meetings
Bookings are open for the January cluster meetings. Please use the link to book your place and if you are unable to attend your usual cluster, please sign up to attend an alternative meeting: January 2026 cluster meetings
New Resources
- Dingley’s Promise Inclusive Practice
New resources on inclusive practice are available on the LAB for local authorities (LAB: Driving Early Years Inclusion) and on the HUB for providers (HUB: Inclusive Practice in the Early Years.)
- Early Years Business Support, Sustainability, and Funding
New bespoke resources have been added to the LAB to support local authorities when navigating sustainability of early years funding: Resources for LAs: Early Years Business Support, Sustainability and Funding
New resources are also available on the HUB for providers to help move towards whole-business perspectives: Early Years Business Support, Sustainability and Funding
- Top tips for Wraparound place creation
Childcare Works has pulled together top tips, ideas, and suggestions to support local authorities with continued Wraparound place creation. Available via the LAB: Place delivery top tips