Before and after school childcare
Before and after school childcare
Wraparound childcare is before and after school childcare that wraps around the school day. It typically runs from 8.00am until 6.00pm (hours can change depending on local demand) during term time, either on a school site, or another local setting such as a community centre, a nursery, or a childminder. Some wraparound childcare providers also provider provision during school holiday periods. These are different to enrichment or activity clubs often run for a short period after school and do not run everyday.
Usually, provision is available to primary aged children, but some provision may offer places from age 3 and up to age 14. The government has committed funding to support an increase in wraparound childcare for parents and carers of primary school-aged children starting in September 2024.
Read more about:
- drop-off and pick-up
- if your school doesn't have wraparound care
- paying for wraparound care
- support to pay for wraparound care
- support for children with additional needs
- help and support to find wraparound care
Drop-off and pick-up
If your child accesses provision off-site, a walking bus or transport (by the wraparound provider) may be provided to get your child from their school to their nearest club. Your wraparound provider will be able to let you know their protocols for drop off and pick up.
If your school doesn't have wraparound care
Some schools will be working together with neighbouring schools to provide wraparound in partnership or may be working with an independent provider or childminder based on or off the school site to provide provision.
All parents in England have the right to request that the school their child attends, or is due to attend, consider setting up wraparound or holiday childcare if they don’t already have it. This applies to childcare for children up to the age of 14, or 18 for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
The right to request only applies to childcare and doesn’t include activities such as after-school sports clubs, which are less frequent and can be a one-off activity.
You should write to your child’s school by letter or email and include when you most need wraparound childcare, detailing the days and times you need it.
The responsibility for securing sufficient childcare in an area ultimately lies with your local authority, so the school will liaise with them, and then get back to you with a decision within a school-term.
Paying for wraparound care
Providers will set their own fees for wraparound places, so prices will vary.
Parents and guardians will pay their wraparound childcare provider directly for their child’s place.
Support to pay for wraparound care
Households eligible for Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit Childcare will be able to use the support to help pay for wraparound care.
Tax-Free Childcare could save eligible parents up to £2,000 per year for children aged up to 11, or £4,000 per year for children aged up to 17 with disabilities.
Universal Credit Childcare could save eligible parents up to 85% of their childcare costs for children aged up to 16. Parents may also be able to get help with their initial upfront childcare costs.
To check if you are eligible for Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit Childcare, visit Childcare Choices.
Support for children with additional needs
Wraparound childcare is intended to be an inclusive provision. Speak to the wraparound provider about their offer for children with additional needs and what support may be available. If your child gets transport to and from school, this cannot be used to support attendance at a wraparound provision.
Support can be many things, it can be working with the provider around training and guidance, providing visuals and tools to allow better communication, or support from staff to work alongside your child at a setting working towards independent access.
Help and support to find wraparound care
York Family Information Service (FIS) can support you to find provision through their childcare brokerage. You can contact them by Telephone: 01904 554444 (Monday to Friday, 10.00am to 4.00pm), Text only telephone: 07786 202241 or email: [email protected].
You can also use the childcare search option to independently find wraparound provision that is available to your family.
If you cannot find the information you're looking for and need further details, contact the designated wraparound lead Kerry Lee by email: [email protected].
