How many and what proportion of the total children’s centres (including Sure Start centres) in your local authority area have been closed temporarily since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic; and, of those that were closed temporarily, how many have a) subsequently reopened, b) been scheduled for reopening at a later date, c) closed permanently, or d) been proposed for permanent closure at a later date?
None
No Children’s Centres were fully closed, they continued to offer face to face support where appropriate and developed a comprehensive digital offer between 8am-8pm and at weekends. They are now fully open and delivering a blended model of digital and face to face support
For each of the last five financial years (2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20), how much has your local authority underspent its early years block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG); and, of that overspend, how much has been a) distributed across the early years sector, b) carried forward to the following year’s budget or c) spent elsewhere? (Please provide a detailed breakdown of how any overspend was used.)
Please refer to Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Early Years Block for responses to the above question
For the first six months of this financial year (April to October 2020), how much of the early years block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) has been spent so far;
As at 21 October 2020, the total spend on the DSG Early Years block is £21.795m of a £39.732m budget.
and, of that spending, how much has been used to;
a) fund free entitlements based on pre-coronavirus occupancy levels
Funding to Early Years providers for Summer Term was processed in the normal way, with providers that were open or closed during the lockdown, claiming funding for all children that were expected to be in attendance. Funding for Autumn Term will be claimed and processed in the normal way, with top-up funding paid to settings who have seen a drop in numbers compared to Autumn 2019 claims as instructed by DfE. Total expenditure for 2, 3 & 4 Year old Funding (YOF), Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP), Special Education Needs & Disability (SEND), Disability Access Funding (DAF) and Deprivation is £21.495m.
b) ensure sufficient childcare places are available for vulnerable children and those of critical workers,
Additional funding was allocated to settings during the lockdown period who were open and provided care for vulnerable children and children of critical workers but this was not funded from the Early Years Block of the DSG.
c) serve other purposes? (Please provide a detailed breakdown of how this spending has been used).
Funding has not been used for other purposes.