The Childcare Act 2006 and the Early Education and Childcare statutory guidance 2014 require all local authorities to produce a report showing how they are meeting their duty to secure sufficient childcare.
Childcare sufficiency can be defined as ensuring the provision of adequate childcare, so far as is reasonably practicable, that is flexible, sustainable and responsive to the needs of families, thus enabling parents to find childcare that meets their needs and allows them to make real choices about family life and work. If any gaps are identified, where reasonably practicable, Wigan local authority will commission childcare services in order to ensure there is sufficient childcare.
Early years and wraparound expansion funding and development
In some cases, funding may be available to assist with the costs of either setting up new provision or expanding current provision to develop more places in certain areas identified by sufficiency analysis across the borough.
We have three elements of funding available:
- Early Years Entitlement Capital Funding - must be spent on capital projects, and is being provided to meet the capital costs associated with projects that help ensure sufficient places for children taking up an early year’s place through the expanded 30 hours entitlement for qualifying working parents (from the term following the child reaching 9 months to the term in which they turn 3 years old)
- Wraparound Capital Funding - available to childcare providers and schools to support the development of new or extended wraparound provision
- Wraparound Revenue Funding - available to support set up costs and additional running costs for increasing the supply of breakfast and afterschool childcare places.
Further information is available:
To make an application, please complete the Early Years and Wraparound Expansion Programme Grant Funding Application Form.
If you would like to discuss the development of a new or expansion of your current provision, please contact early learning and childcare to discuss further.
School Based Nursery Programme (SBN)
The government has published details for phase 3 capital grant funding for SBNs across England and has pledged almost £325 million of further funding between 2027 and 2030 to support future phases of the programme.
Phase 3 of the programme will be led by local authorities, who will be responsible for developing funding proposals that outline project plans for new or expanded SBNs in their area to submit to the Department for Education.
Wigan local authority has now invited expressions of interest from state-funded primary-phase schools and maintained nursery schools who have projects they wish to create or expand a school-based nursery or nursery on a Best Start in Life Hub site. Schools are strongly encouraged to work in partnership with local private, voluntary and independent childcare providers and childminders who can deliver SBN for any early years age group from a school site.
The closing date for local authorities to submit their multiple project applications is 30th September 2026.
Further information is available from School-based Nursery Capital Grant 2027-2030 (external link)
To request an expression of interest form or to discuss your project proposals please contact the Leading Early Years Excellence Partnership team.