Childcare Works has developed a range of government-funded resources to help providers and schools deliver the extended early years entitlement, available though an online hub.

The Childcare Works consortium, made up of Mott MacDonald, Coram Hempsall’s, and Coram,  was appointed by the Department for Education in January 2024 as the delivery support contractor for the expansions to the early years entitlements and wraparound childcare initiatives. Childcare Works has developed a suite of free resources including videos, tools, documents, links, helpful suggestions, and training.

From September 2024 the Department for Education has funded providers to offer 15 hours for children of working families aged from nine months old, doubling to 30 hours in a year’s time (September 2025).  “These are significant tasks for all providers who know it is vital we make the most of the opportunity for children and their families,” said James Hempsall, managing director of Coram Hempsall’s, and national director for Childcare Works. “We have seen early demand from existing families, and then a gradual increase of interest from new families.  Some of this demand has exceeded our expectations.  It is such a big change, and one that will have profound impacts for months and years.”

Resources include the PREPARE model, which aims to prepare providers for the rollout of the extended entitlement during its evolution across the next year:

1. Pause.  We know that when things are busy it can feel impossible to stop and to think for the longer-term.  We also know that when things are a little slower the temptation is to stop, rest, and recover rather than do business planning.  But we must all must pause to plan. 
2. Research.  Take a good look and listen at what is happening around you, what your families (current and future) and other local providers are thinking, wanting, and doing.  Look at the best sources of information, such as the Childcare Works Hub and don’t rely on inaccurate social media feeds.  It helps to be in regular contact with the local authority or authorities you contract with.  That will all help to keep up to date with thinking, funding rates, information, and training and/or business support if it is on offer. 
3. Explore.  Take the time to explore in detail your business model and structure, and hold it to account, challenge it, and ask lots of ‘why’ questions.  If your answers include ‘because we have always done it like that’, then be open to think again.  If you are a reluctant planner, or it feels overwhelming.  Get help from a trusted and skilled supporter. 
4. Possibilities.  All of this work then puts you in a better position to consider, with an open mind, the possibilities, opportunities, and risks for your setting.  Write a long list – you don’t have to do everything, you can create a shortlist later.
5. Action plan.  All that exploration and identifying the possibilities now informs your action plan.  Set out what are you able to do in the short- to medium-terms, and what do you need help with. Make sure you include the groundwork for all the longer-term actions as well as the easier things to do.  They will bear fruit later.
6. Revenue.  With new sources of government funding as income, settings know that will either add to the existing income streams or replace some of those that may have been chargeable to parents before.  This all needs thinking through for financial sustainability and strength, charging policies, and for contractual compliance with local authorities.  Families appear more motivated to engage with Tax-Free Childcare than before (take-up is increasing), so this would be an excellent time to reinvigorate your strategy around all of that as an important source of additional funding for you and families. 
7. Execute.  Finally, this is about delivery of your plan, and making the changes needed to adapt and respond to the changing environment, families’ needs and demands, and new financial models.  And keep on top of it, keep it under regular review, celebrate the things that are working, and revisit the things that aren’t.