AGENDA ITEM 9
BOROUGH OF POOLE
CABINET
2 DECEMBER2008
EARLY YEARS CAPITAL GRANT (2008-2011): REPORT OF THE HEAD OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S INTEGRATED SERVICES
- PURPOSE OF REPORT
1.1To inform Members of the allocation of £1.5m capital funding received from the Department for Children, Schools & Families (DCSF) for early years and childcare from April 2008 to March 2011.
1.2To seek approval to allocate the capital funding for early years and childcare settings in accordance with the priorities set out in this report.
2.DECISIONS REQUIRED
2.1That the Programme Board recommends Cabinet to approve the allocation of capital funding for early years and childcare settings in accordance with the following priorities:
a)In 2008/09 to support children’s learning and development by -
(i)providing up-to-date equipment to ensure practitioners can effectively observe and track children’s progress, with a particular emphasis on ICT resources, plus other learning and development materials and resources to support the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS); and
(ii)undertaking a detailed survey of buildings and facilities across the whole sector so that resources can be targeted to areas in which childcare places need to be developed and quality improved.
b)In 2009/10 to target strategically accessible early years provision for children with additional needs and disabilities, plus those settings identified as a concern by Ofsted or by the Local Authority (LA) as needing support in improving the quality of the learning environment to support the delivery of the EYFS, with a particular emphasis on improving play and physical activities.
c)In 2010/11 to target settings identified in the childcare sufficiency assessment as requiring additional childcare facilities to ensure all children are able to access provision and to provide flexibility so that the free offer for 3 and 4 year olds can be delivered.
3.BACKGROUND
3.1Children’s Services Capital Programme Board considered this report at its Meeting on 23rd October 2008. Poole has been allocated £1.5 million capital fundingover a three-year period (2008-2011) by DCSF to support quality and access to integrated early years and childcare provision for all young children. This is ring-fenced grant specific to early years and childcare activity.
3.2From April 2008 the LA has a legal duty under the Childcare Act 2006 to secure sufficient high quality childcare to meet the needs of working parents and those returning to training in preparation for work. This grant will support the implementation and delivery of the EYFS across the Borough. The EYFS is a statutory requirement from 1 September 2008.
3.3The DCSF’ expectation is that the majority of this capital grant is used to improve the quality of the environment in private, voluntary and independent (PVI) early years and childcare settings, although spending on the maintained sector is not precluded. This resource can also be used to support EYFS through childminders. There are some 60 PVI settings in Poole, accommodated in a range of facilities including church halls, youth centres, schools, community centres and privately owned buildings.
3.4Research shows that children will only benefit fully from integrated early education and care if it is of a high quality. The grant will support settings to improve the quality of their provision, which will in turn aid their long-term sustainability.
3.5The DCSF’ guidance states that the grant should be used to support high quality, age appropriate experiences for young children, as defined by Ofsted inspections, and should be used for the following three broad purposes -
- To improve the quality of the learning environment in early years settings to support the delivery of the EYFS, with particular emphasis on improving play and physical activities and ICT resources
- To ensure all children, including disabled children, are able to access provision
- To enable all providers to deliver the extension of the flexible offer for 3 and 4 year olds.
3.6The Childcare Sufficiency Assessment (April 2008) indicates a lack of accessible early years and after school provision for children with additional needs and disabilities.
3.7The Memorandum of Grant states that unspent capital funding can be carried forward to the next year, but this does not apply in the final year of the grant when all funding must be spent by 31 March 2011.
4.PROPOSEDPROCESS FOR ALLOCATION
4.1A project team has been established to deliver this capital programme which will report to a Project Board.
4.2The Project Board have agreed that adetailed survey of the quality of buildings across the sector should be undertaken to provide an overall picture of the suitability and character of capital assets. This would indicate where resources needed to be targeted, to areas where childcare places needed to be developed and where quality needed to be improved.
4.3Funding will be allocated on a strategic basis in accordance with DCSF’ guidance as set out in paragraph 3.5 above.
4.4Following further guidance provided by the DCSF about the purchase of ICT resources, it is proposed that the procurement of these will be managed centrally. By grouping items of a similar nature together as a bulk purchase, the capitalisation threshold is met and discounts negotiated to ensure value for money is achieved. Centrally purchasing these resources will also achieve the added benefit of ensuring that the ICT solutions and equipment are appropriate and fit for purpose.
4.5The funding will be promoted openly and transparently; with the criteria being communicated transparently to each setting. A detailed application in a standard format will be required from each applicant.
4.6Funding agreements will be set up for every grant provided and will include the need for an asset register to be retained and guidance on terms and conditions of the disposal of any assets purchased using the grant will be included. Where alterations to buildings and grounds are made there will be a duly authorised agreement committing to three years delivery of the free entitlement or a return of the funding should this not be possible.
4.7All applications and processes will meet the Borough of Poole’s financial regulations and settings will need to demonstrate that appropriate procurement procedures have been followed. Applications will need to show the applicant’s sustainability and commitment to delivering a service for at least three years and this will be reflected in the agreement with the LA.
4.8Funding will support only those projects that meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act, planning design and control, and the functional requirements in Building Regulations, where applicable.
VICKY WALES
HEAD OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S INTEGRATED SERVICES
Contact officers:
Mic Mason
Childcare Manager
01202 261988
Ian Johns
Planning Officer (Education)
01202 633501
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