What is wraparound childcare?

Wraparound childcare supports working parents by offering care before and after school. This can enable parents to work more hours with greater flexibility.

It can also support families for whom time or money constraints mean that a child often misses breakfast. Around one in five children of primary school age don’t eat breakfast, according to recent research by General Mills, which runs a Breakfast Club programme.

What is wraparound care?

Wraparound care is regular care for children before and after school. There is currently a push to provide more of it for children of primary school age (Reception to Year 6).

Wraparound childcare can be provided by primary schools or other childcare providers, such as childminders and nurseries.

It runs during term time and includes breakfast clubs and after-school clubs.

The term can also be used to describe holiday clubs, but the current plans for expansion by the government just includes before and after school.

What has the government announced so far?

The Conservative government announced plans to reform childcare in the Spring Budget of 2023. As well as extending funded hours for early years, they also announced their aim for all schools in England to offer wraparound childcare or in partnership with a local provider, by September 2026.

Around 60% of primary schools currently offer some form of wraparound childcare. 

The Labour government has pledged to implement the wraparound childcare offer promised by the former Conservative government.

Free Breakfast Clubs

In addition the Labour government is offering free Breakfast Clubs for every primary school in England.

From November 2024, schools in England can sign up, with around 750 ‘early adopters’ being chosen to take part in a year-long pilot of the wraparound childcare scheme, beginning April 2025.

The Breakfast Clubs will be available to all children regardless of parental income and will last at least 30 minutes.

National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) is worried about the impact the free Breakfast Clubs will have on nurseries which already offer before and afterschool care, some of which are based in schools.

Purnima Tanuku, its chief executive called the ongoing investment in wraparound care “welcome for parents” saying “breakfast clubs can have a positive impact on children’s learning and development”.

She added: “We don’t want to see public money used in a way that damages or duplicates existing high quality provision. If part of a nursery’s business model becomes unsustainable, that may threaten their ability to deliver other childcare and early education services.”

Is there wraparound childcare in Scotland and Wales?

The term Wraparound Childcare is used in England. It tends to be called School Age Childcare in Scotland and Out of School Care in Wales.

Wraparound Childcare in Scotland and Wales is offered by a range of providers including schools and nurseries. Funded School Age Childcare in Scotland is available to families on low incomes.

Find out more about the Scottish Government’s School Age Childcare aims and the Welsh Childcare Offer.

Do I have to pay for wraparound care?

You do have to pay for wraparound childcare as it exists now. It does count as an ‘approved childcare provider’, so can be paid for with some childcare funding that you are eligible for (not 15 or 30 funded hours as this is for children younger than school age).

If the Government scheme is successful in England, there will be considerably more wraparound childcare available. It will still cost money, but parents can use Government funding including Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit Childcare to help to pay for it.

The Breakfast Clubs will be free to all primary school children regardless of their parents’ income.

How do I get wraparound care?

Your child’s school should clearly signpost you to any wrapround childcare they offer.

In England, if your child’s school does not have any provision for wraparound care, you have the right to request that they set it up, as long as your child is under the age of 15 (or 18 if they have Special Educational Needs or Disabilities).

You can also look for wraparound childcare in your area through your local council website or by looking at local nurseries or childminders.