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The Wraparound Programme

Wraparound programme overview

The government is investing £289 million to support the expansion of wraparound childcare for primary school-aged pupils. 

The government’s ambition is for all parents of primary school children who need it to be able to access childcare in their local area from 8am – 6pm. This will help to ensure that parents have enough childcare to work full time, more hours and with flexible hours.

This funding will support local authorities to work with primary schools and private, voluntary and independent providers including childminders to introduce or expand childcare provision between 8am and 6pm and enable them to test flexible ways of providing childcare and gather evidence of what works.

Parents of primary school aged children will still be expected to pay to access this provision, as this programme aims to increase the availability of childcare, rather than subsidise childcare, but support with costs will be available to eligible parents through Universal Credit childcare and Tax Free Childcare.  

Parents should expect to see an expansion in the availability of wraparound care from September 2024, with every parent who needs it able to access term-time wraparound childcare by September 2026.

What is the intended aim of the programme

To increase parents’ participation in the labour market, by ensuring that every parent/carer of primary age children who needs wraparound has access to it in their local area.

Theory of Change

Vision for the programme

Local authority led, school centred, with provision delivered by a number of providers.

Programme Vision 

Child centred, inclusive, easily accessible and listens to the needs of families.

Delivery models

Provision does not just have to happen in schools, but where it doesn’t, schools do have a role to signpost parents to local provision.

  • School-based provision, delivered by school - Delivered by school staff on school site, open to all children in that school.

  • Private provider-run provision, on or off school site - Operated and delivered by a private provider. If on school site, they may pay school to operate wraparound provision on their premises and advertise via school channels. Could operate on other sites too.

  • Community model - Local authority co-ordinates a community-focused cluster / hub model, with children from multiple schools on one site.

  • Childminders - Provision delivered by childminders, signposted to parents by local authority and schools. Could be a group of CMs working together on a single/community site.

  • Other EY providers - Existing EY providers may take older children (i.e. of school-age) during wraparound hours. eg, a play group operating on a school site may run the provision, or a local nursery.