TEY 13.2

JAMES HEMPSALL OBE IS MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CORAM HEMPSALL’S Are you ready for the DfE’s funding expansion? It is never too late to take a good, hard look at your business model and practice S eptember 2024 marks another chapter in the expansion of government funding for early education and childcare. For the first time, the Department for Education (DfE) will be funding local authorities so they can contract providers to offer 15 hours for children of working families aged from nine months old – something that will double to 30 hours in a year’s time (September 2025). The programme was developed by the previous government, and the new government has said they intend to continue with these plans. challenges remain. It is vital we take the opportunity for practitioners, providers, children, and their families – the main reason being that families very warmly welcomed the policy when it was announced in March 2023. Since then, we have seen early demand from existing families, and then a gradual increase of interest from new families. It is such a big change, and one that will have profound effects for months and years. What must we do? It is never too late to take a good, hard look at your business model and practice to make the changes needed for now and later. To help, we have developed the PREPARE model, which not only prepares you for the change but helps guide you throughout it as well. PREPARE for the expansion of government funding: PAUSE I know that when things are busy it can feel impossible to stop and think for the longer term. I also know that when things are a little slower, the temptation is to stop, rest, and recover rather than do business planning. But you must pause to plan. RESEARCH Take a good look 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 (like the childcareworks. org.uk HUB) and not unreliable social media feeds. Be in regular contact with the local authority or authorities you contract with. That will all help you to keep up to date with thinking, funding rates, information, and training and/or business support if it is on offer. EXPLORE Take the time to explore in detail your business model and structure, and hold it <£5m Amount of the £100m Childcare Expansion Capital Grant distributed so far SOURCE: NDNA Funding for early years education and childcare has grown exponentially over the past two decades. We have seen hours and age ranges start small and build through various initiatives. They variously seek to support young children’s pre-school learning, tackle the effects of disadvantage, narrow the gap between least-advantaged children and their peers, and support working families’ childcare needs. All are making invaluable contributions to society and children’s outcomes, and all are equally good as far as I am concerned. September is a big change at a time when economic and workforce 64 Teachearlyyears.com