School-age childcare (including wraparound) – information for providers
The National Wraparound Childcare funding closed on 31 March 2026; however, practical support for childcare settings continues through advice, guidance and mentoring. Please contact: educate.earlyyearswraparound-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
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About school-age childcare
School-age childcare (SAC)
School‑age childcare is childcare for children aged 4 to 14 years (or up to 18 for disabled children) outside of the school day. This includes before‑ and after‑school clubs, breakfast clubs and holiday childcare.
Devon County Council works to make sure school‑age childcare in Devon is high quality, affordable, accessible and inclusive for local families. This includes supporting the rollout of free breakfast clubs and strengthening links between holiday childcare and the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, helping to create a more sustainable childcare offer across the county.
Under the Childcare Act 2006, the Council has a legal duty to ensure there are enough childcare places for working parents, or parents who are studying or training. The childcare sufficiency report helps Devon plan and develop childcare that meets the needs of children and families.
Department for Education’s (DfE) vision for school-age childcare (SAC)
The need for childcare does not stop when children reach school-age. We know many families continue to need childcare before and after school, and during the school holidays. In addition to wider investment in more accessible early education and childcare, we are taking a strategic approach to the future of SAC which builds on the successes of programmes such as the Wraparound childcare: guidance for local authorities – GOV.UK, the Holiday activities and food programme – GOV.UK and the national rollout of the Free breakfast clubs: guidance for schools and trusts – GOV.UK, to ensure families are supported, year round, by an outstanding SAC system.
Why is SAC important?
The Government’s aim is to make wraparound childcare available in every primary school across England. This helps:
- Working parents manage their schedules more easily
- Children benefit from a safe, consistent environment before and after lessons
What does SAC include?
School-age childcare extends the school day to cover the hours from 8:00am to 6:00pm during term time.
It includes:
- Before-school care (e.g. breakfast clubs)
- After-school care (e.g. extended day provision)
- Holiday provision
How is it different from school activity clubs?
School-age childcare is not the same as after-school clubs or enrichment activities. Here’s how it differs:
- It is a regular childcare service, not a one-off or weekly club
- It must run every school day, regardless of staff illness or bad weather
- If the school is open, the childcare must also be open
For more information contact: educate.earlyyearswraparound-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
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How to set up school-age childcare
How to set up school-age childcare
One of the first stages of setting up a wraparound provision is to gauge the “need” for the childcare in your local area.
Gaps in school‑age childcare are identified through Devon’s annual Childcare Sufficiency Report: Childcare sufficiency – Information for childcare providersProving the demand for childcare in your school
We have produced a draft template for schools to send to parents to gauge the need. This is a template that can be adapted to your schools need.
- Schools childcare survey for parents – example – online forms template version
Creating your business plan
You will need to create a financial plan to show that your club can run sustainably. We have provided a draft business plan to help you do this.
Knowledge hub for childcare providers
Advice to setting up and managing a childcare business is available on the Knowledge Hub to register an account
Existing knowledge hub user
- Go to Early Years Expansion and Wraparound Programmes – Knowledge Hub
- Request access
- Look out for an email from the Knowledge Hub confirming your registration
New knowledge hub user
- Go to Sign up – Knowledge Hub and enter your details
- You’ll receive an email to verify your email address. If you can’t find the email, check Junk folders
- Follow the instructions provided, and contact support@khub.net if you have any issues
Important – you will need to register your setting on the Devon Provider Self Update. This is done through the Provider Portal. Some of this information is displayed on Find Childcare in Devon for parents to search and view.
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Parents' right to request childcare
Parents’ right to request childcare
All schools need to support parents right to request childcare. For more information please read: Responding to requests for wraparound childcare – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
When handling right to request arrangements, you should be transparent about the process you choose to follow.
You should:
- be clear about timescales for dealing with requests
- speak to your local authority (and any relevant landowner where appropriate)
- keep parents and providers informed at each stage
- give reasons for approving or rejecting requests
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Free breakfast clubs
Free breakfast clubs
The government is committed to offering a free breakfast club in every state-funded school with primary aged pupils in England (the new breakfast club offer). Breakfast clubs are designed to break down barriers to opportunity, as well as tackle the impact of child poverty.
Free universal breakfast clubs give children a supportive start to the school day, ensuring they are ready to learn and make the most of the opportunities schools offer. Schools that offer breakfast clubs report improvements in behaviour, attendance and academic attainment. These are benefits that support children to achieve and thrive, while supporting teachers and school staff in their work. Breakfast clubs also support families financially by reducing the costs of living.
There is more information available on a headteacher’s view on the benefits of breakfast clubs.
If you have questions about running a breakfast club in Devon please contact: educate.earlyyearswraparound-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
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Training / conference
School age childcare (wraparound) providers can access training from the Devon Education Services Shop: Early years, childcare, wraparound childcare advice and training | DES
School age childcare provider network meetings
These provider network meetings will offer a valuable opportunity to receive updates, access training, share key information, and network with other school age providers.
Each session will be split into two parts:
- The first half will cover updates, key dates, and data sharing
- The second half will focus on training and relevant topics, based on your feedback
Please note that the second half will be the same at both the lunchtime and evening sessions, allowing you to attend at a time that suits you.
Dates:
- Monday 1st June – 5.30pm to 6.30pm – Join the meeting here
Our guest speaker will share ideas on providing nutritious meals on a budget and highlight the importance of the mealtime experience for children. - Thursday 4th June – 12.30pm – 1.30pm – Join the meeting here
Our guest speaker will explore the challenges of supporting SEND needs in an out-of-school setting. They will also introduce an exciting new FREE service, offering bespoke training and tailored advice for your setting and the children you support.
The sessions will be delivered remotely by Microsoft Teams and from the Autumn term you can book these through the Devon Education Services Shop.
Who can attend?
These sessions are important for HAF, Wraparound or Free Breakfast Club staff and organisations primarily but also relevant to anyone working with children and young people of school age outside of school hours and during the holidays.
Funded Level 3 Diploma in Playwork
The course is designed for learners 18 years + who are currently working or volunteering in a Playwork setting with children and young people aged 4 to 16 years. It is ideal for experienced playworkers or those stepping up to a role that requires you to work unsupervised or in a supervisory capacity. Settings may include breakfast or after-school clubs, holiday playschemes, adventure playgrounds or open access playcentres.
When does the course start?
The course starts on 4th June 2026, online, between 10:45 am – 2:45 pm and will take approximately 15 months to complete.
How much does it cost?
The course is FREE, subject to eligibility.
Find out more:
For more information please speak to the Customer Service team at Learn Devon on 01392 384094 or visit: Diploma in Playwork (Level 3) – Learn Devon
Play skills development morning – 30 March 2026
Around 70 people from across Devon came together for our Play Skills Development Morning, a fully funded event for school‑age childcare settings delivering wraparound childcare, the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, and Early Access Breakfast Clubs (EABC).
The morning built on the popular Out of School Conference ran in September 2025, with two inspiring speakers returning to explore deeper into the role of play in children’s wellbeing, learning and development, and to celebrate the value of school‑age children’s play in Devon.
Inspiring speakers
- Ben Kingston‑Hughes explored the impact of playwork and why joyful, child‑led play really matters.
- Dan from Play Torbay brought outdoor, active and risky play to life, sharing practical ideas that work in real settings.
What people told us
Feedback from delegates was overwhelmingly positive. Everyone who responded rated the event as Good or Very Good, with many describing it as “inspiring”, “very informative” and “great fun”.
People especially valued
- practical ideas they could use straight away
- evidence‑based content brought to life with humour and energy
- time to connect with others working in school‑age childcare
Many left feeling more confident to champion child‑led, joyful play, rethink approaches to behaviour, and try new ideas in their wraparound settings.
Looking ahead
Attendees told us they would love longer sessions, more hands‑on practical activities, and extra time to network and share ideas. Suggested topics for future events included:
- SEND (including autism and ADHD)
- forest school and outdoor play
- play in small or indoor spaces
- restorative practice
- positive and inclusive communication
The feedback clearly shows the value of events like this in building confidence, sharing practice and strengthening connections across Devon’s school‑age childcare community.
We look forward to running more events like this and welcoming even more provider’s next time. Watch this space for future opportunities to learn, connect and celebrate play.
The Essential 3 series – marketing, team and finance
From surviving to thriving: financial success in wraparound care
From Surviving to Thriving: Financial Success in Wraparound Care explored how providers can build sustainable services by understanding key financial basics such as profit and loss, cashflow and occupancy. The session shared practical tips on setting sustainable parent fees, managing costs, and using support such as Tax‑Free Childcare to balance affordability with long‑term viability. Access the session resources to support your financial planning and catch up if you weren’t able to attend
We are pleased to share with you the slides from the session:
The big picture – marketing wraparound care
No matter how good your childcare provision is, if parents don’t know about it, it won’t be sustainable.
This workshop was designed to give settings the confidence and practical tools to market and promote their wraparound care effectively. Earlier this year, we delivered The Big Picture – Marketing Devon, a hands-on training session focused on helping providers tell their story clearly, consistently and with impact.
The session shared practical insights, real examples and easy-to-use tools to support local marketing and promotion. If you couldn’t attend—or would like a refresher—you can explore the resources here, packed with ideas you can put into practice straight away.
Access the session resources to support your financial planning and catch up if you weren’t able to attend.
Recruitment and retention – attracting and keeping the right people
This session aimed to provide participants with the tools and confidence to recruit and retain the right people for their organisation by aligning recruitment strategies with organisational vision, values and culture. It also focused on practical approaches to keeping playworker engaged and committed in situations where salary increases were not an option.
Resources to follow.
Fun with food workshop – for all early years and childcare and out of school wraparound providers
All school-age childcare settings must provide food, especially in the breakfast clubs. This workshop, which ran on 20th May covered healthy and fun food activities for children. The session provided ideas for fun hands-on food sessions which can be done on a low budget, with limited kitchen facilities and safely adapted to suit individuals with dietary requirements and intolerances.
If you would more information please email: educate.earlyyearswraparound-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
Paediatric first aid training
This 12 hour course is consistent with the criteria set out in Annex A of the EYFS statutory framework.
This course comprises of:
- 6 hours independent study (eLearning)
- 6 hours skills assessment (in person; small groups of 12 maximum)
Dates of skills session:
- Please check website for latest dates: EYCS Paediatric first aid training | DES
Cost: £80 per person
Bookings for this course are now being taken from the Shop: EYCS Paediatric first aid training | DES (devoneducationservices.co.uk)
(you will need to add both products (eLearning and skills session) to your basket in order to pay and book).
(If you are paying on behalf of a staff member/s you will need to visit your ‘Admin area’ within your shop account and assign the eLearning to the member of staff).
Safeguarding and Child Protection Core (all early years and childcare practitioners) (previously safeguarding awareness group 2 core)
The safeguarding awareness training is suitable for childminders and all those working in early years and childcare group-based settings (i.e.; assistants / apprentices/ volunteers).
To recognise your role and responsibilities in safeguarding and protecting children, know what concerns to be alert to and how to raise them in line with local processes. The training can be undertaken either as eLearning or a virtual session.
Needs to be refreshed every 2 years.
Face to face dates:
- dates tbc
Fully funded.
Book your place by visiting the Devon Education Services website: Early Years and Childcare: Safeguarding and Child Protection Core (all early years and childcare practitioners) | DES (devoneducationservices.co.uk)
eLearning course:
Fully funded.
Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) training:
This video will provide you with an understanding of the role of the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO); it explains what should be referred to the LADO and, importantly, what should not be referred.
This course is for anyone who works with or cares for children and young people within Devon. It is fully funded.
The LADO video learning is accessed by visiting the Devon Education Services Shop: EYCS: Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) online learning | DES
Fully funded.
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Support with recruitment
Recruiting the right people with the right skills and experience, at the right time, is essential for your business. We can support you by promoting your early years and childcare job vacancies, including out of school and wraparound posts.
Read more about the job vacancy service and find out how to submit a job advert here: Submit a vacancy – Information for childcare providers
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