Decision details

In the Spring Budget 2023 the government announced the biggest investment in childcare in history, doubling the amount they expect to spend over the next few years from around £4 billion to around £8 billion each year. The childcare expansion Programme has two projects:
Wraparound childcare n Expansion of the free entitlement to working parents.
The LA has received notification of both capital and revenue funding to support the two childcare expansion projects from the DfE.
Based on the current capacity within the Early Years service, DMT have approved the identified need to increase capacity within the Early Years Service to 1) Analyse ongoing parental demand and sufficiency for both projects 2) Monitor sufficiency of places at ward level 3) Increase the amount of places available in order to meet demand 4) be able to process provider claims inline with published deadlines 5) continue to provide support to parents and childcare providers in the borough 5) provide advice support and guidance to parents and EY providers 6) be able to develop, implement and deliver a capital programme for both projects 7) to meet its statutory duties in line with the Childcare Act.

RESOLVED - That:
Recruitment to posts within the Early Years service to support the
Childcare Expansion Programme

Option 1 - This report seeks approval to recruit to posts on fixed term contracts in order to provide the LA with capacity to deliver the Childcare Expansion Programme. The costs of this are being fully met by the delivery support funding that is being received directly from the DfE.
To enable the Council to deliver to childcare expansion programme providing free entitlement and wraparound childcare to working parents in line with the Spring budget announcements 2023 in relation to the childcare reform.
Agreement is being sought to establish new posts and recruit to them;
• 1 FTE Data Analyst (grade 6)
• 1 FTE Early Years Funding Assistant (grade 3)
• 1 FTE Wrap Around Project Officer (grade 8)
• 1 FTE Childcare Development Office (grade 6)
Option 2 - Do not approve the recruitment of the above posts. This poses a risk to the Council of failing the projects and not meeting statutory duties in line with the Childcare Act.

Alternatives were considered and rejected in order to fulfil the Councils priorities with regards to the Childcare Expansion programme and remain complaint with statutory duties and The Childcare Act 2006.

If approved, this capacity would strengthen Oldham’s Childcare Expansion projects and the delivery plan whilst ensuring that statutory duties relating to the Childcare Act are met. This option poses no risk to the council as the three posts will be funded through the EY revenue grant and the one permanent post will be funded through the retained EY block DSG, modelling will ensure that the cost can be met