Agenda item

Aileen Chambers, Childcare Sustainability Manager, Schools and Lifelong Learning, Children and Young People’s Services, to report. 

Consideration was given to the submitted report that was presented by Aileen Chambers, Childcare Sustainability Manager, Early Years and Childcare Service, Children and Young People’s Service, which outlined the proposed changes to the entitlement to Free Early Education and childcare sufficiency.

Free Early Education was a universal Statutory entitlement for three- and four-year-old children.  From September 2013, it would also be a Statutory entitlement for the most disadvantaged two-year-old children.  In relation to this, Government Consultation was now seeking views on:

• The streamlining of Statutory guidance to local authorities on the delivery of Free Early Education and securing sufficient childcare;
• Setting eligibility criteria for the new entitlement to Free Early Education for two-year-olds;
• Increasing flexibility on when the free entitlement hours can be taken; and;

• Clarification of eligibility requirements that providers need to meet to deliver Free Early Education entitlement.   

The current Code of Practice on the delivery of Early Education had been in place since September 2010 and related solely to the Early Education for three- and four-year-olds.  Separate guidance was currently in place in relation to Sections 6 and 11 of the Childcare Act detailing childcare sufficiency requirements. 

The proposed replacement Statutory guidance provided guidance on all areas in one document.  The majority of the Statutory requirements were the same, although the completed document was much shorter at 14 pages long (previous guidance was 50 pages) and did not contain the same level of prescriptive guidance, leaving interpretation of the requirements to individual local authorities.

Further changes to the Statutory guidance included:

• The introduction of eligibility criteria for two-year-olds;
• Extension of the hours in which Early Education could be delivered from 8.00 am – 6.00 pm to 7.00 am – 7.00 pm;
• To allow the entitlement (15 hours) to be taken over a minimum of two-days, rather than the current requirement to take over three-days;
• Introduction of a ‘basket’ of quality indicators which providers would need to meet to enable them to deliver Early Education;
• Repeal of Section 11 of the Childcare Act (the Duty to Assess Childcare Provision) and replacement with guidance on how Section 6 (Childcare Sufficiency) should be delivered;
• Method of funding for the free entitlement for two-year-olds from 2013-14.

In drafting the response to this consultation, the Early Years Team had consulted the Early Education Working Group (which included representatives from the maintained and PVI sector), as well as Officers currently involved in the delivery of early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds, and delivery of childcare sufficiency.  The responses received had generally been in favour of the proposed changes. 

Discussion ensued and the following observations were made:

• Whilst allowing greater flexibility for local authorities to formulate and apply their own guidance, there was a risk that boundary local authorities would introduce different practices, which could impact on families’ access to provision;
• The impact of the proposals on providers;
• Eligibility criteria for two-year-olds to access free Early Education entitlement would be based on Free School Meal entitlement from 2013.  This would be based on actual eligibility for the benefit, regardless of whether it was actually taken up;
• There would be greater flexibility for parents to take the entitlement over two-days.  In some cases where the entitlement had to be taken over three days, it had meant that some children were not accessing their full 15 hours;
• The addition of the ‘basket of indicators’ would mean that settings had to meet additional quality standards if they did not achieve good or better in an Ofsted inspection in order to be able to deliver Early Education.  This would have a positive affect on the standard of provision children accessed, and their outcomes. 

The Consultation questions were noted and a joint response on behalf of the Improving Lives Select Commission was made.

Resolved: - (1) That the consultation report be received and it’s content noted.

(2)  That Aileen Chambers be thanked for her presentation and contribution to the discussion around the proposed changes to the entitlement to Free Early Education and childcare sufficiency.

(3)  That the Childcare Sustainability Manager respond to the Government Consultation on behalf of the Improving Lives Select Commission.