HCC Services for Young Children – 2 Year Old Revenue Grant Application Pack (2015/16)

Hampshire County Council

Services for Young Children

Application Pack

For

Early Years & Educational Childcare Settings

Two Year Old

Revenue

Funding 2015/16


Contents

1. Introduction and Background

2. Application Process

3. Application Assessment

4. Finance and Administration Arrangements

List of Annexes which can be found on the website:

Annex A / Priority Areas
Annex B / Example Revenue Grant Agreement
Annex C / Monitoring form
Annex D / Background information

Glossary of Terms

DfE / Department for Education
EYFS / Early Years Foundation Stage
PVI / Private Voluntary & Independent
CDBO / Childcare Development Business Officer
DDA / Disability Discrimination Act
EYE / Early Years Education
EYR / Early Years Register
FSM / Free School Meal
HCC / Hampshire County Council
OFSTED / Ofsted Childcare Register
SEN / Special Educational Needs
SYFC / Services for Young Children

1INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

This application pack has been produced by Hampshire County Council for the Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) childcare sector, schools and academies.

Hampshire County Council is committed to developing high quality early years and childcare provision. This application pack aims to provide you with information and guidance on:

  • Eligibility and criteria to access 2 Year Old revenue funding;
  • Funding processes and requirements;
  • Monitoring and management arrangements for funding allocations.

If you are eligible for grant funding this pack includes the necessary application forms and/or links to the website to enable you to apply. Please ensure you read this Application Pack in its entiretybefore applying and ideally discuss your project with your local Hampshire County Council Services for Young Children, Childcare Development Business Officer

Services for Young Children Local Office contact information.

Please note that these guidance notes are not exhaustive and additional guidance may be issued by Hampshire County Council from time to time.

2APPLICATION PROCESS

2.1 Who can apply?

New or existing registered early years and childcare providers[1]in the private, voluntary and independent sector, together with schools & academies, which are committed to delivering services to meet the long term 2 year old childcare needs within the local authority and community which they serve and identify projects that will:

  • Increase the number and/or improve the take up of places for 2 year olds at their setting;
  • Increase the number of available hours for 2 year olds that can be delivered to make provision more sustainable;
  • Enable quality to be improved or improved services offered to 2 year old children who have a disability, special needs or, are from lower income families.

Types of projects that will be considered for revenue funding:

  • non capital small equipment/minor works that support development of places or hours of delivery;
  • purchase of age-appropriate resources to support new or additional 2 year old places;
  • fund resources and/or make changes to the environment that specifically helps to deliver a quality curriculum for younger children;
  • purchase of non-fixed furniture, small storage and equipment to enable an environment to be suitable for 2 year olds;
  • financial contribution to maintain places where access to 2 year old places is limited.

Please note:

The revenue programme will not contribute to existing running or management costs. All training, equipment and resources applied for must be age-relative for 2 year olds and support EYFS learning and development outcomes.

2.2Grant Criteria

The following specific criteria are required by applicants:

  • Be an Ofsted registered setting achieving good or higher at their last inspection. Settings rated satisfactory must be approved by the Council, engage in the Improvement Support Programme and show evidence of effective self-evaluation highlighting commitment to continuous improvement, for example Early Years Childhood Environment Rating Scales & the Infant, Toddler Environmental Rating Scales. Providers making application for a grant to support the development of a new provision MUST be able to demonstrate good leadership and management experience in delivering high quality early years foundation stage and have a history of achieving OFSTED inspections at Good and Outstanding.
  • Settings must be an approved provider for Early Years Education (EYE) in the Hampshire local authority area and be fully compliant with the Terms & Conditions –
  • Applications must demonstrate provision of new or additional places that cater for unmet demand or where there are identified geographical gaps in the 2 year old free entitlement offer in Hampshire – see appendix 1below for priority areas.
  • Provide evidence that the grant application will increase the long term availability of 2 year old free entitlement places or enable the setting to increase opening or care times.
  • Be fully involved in integrated services delivery through their local children’s centre.
  • Demonstrate that the organisation agrees to promote and support family access to the local children’s centres.
  • The project can be delivered by 31 March 2016.

Where there are competing applications for the limited funding, priority will be given to those applications that:

  • are in the priority areas shown in appendix 1 at the end of this document.
  • best serve the eligible 2 year old families with regards to location, opening times, accessibility and quality together with continuation of EYE as 3 and 4 year olds;
  • provide simple, cost effective and long term solutions that can be delivered and ready for April 2016;
  • provide best value for money in terms of additional places/hours per pound funding required – appreciation of rural issues will be taken into account when scrutinising value for money.

All grant awards will be subject to a revenue grant agreement and grants in excess of £5000 will be subject to clawback conditions and legal charge established where appropriate.

Proposals should contain evidence of value for money, ideally including evidence of funding sought from other sources and development of a fundraising strategy (if necessary and applicable). There is only limited funding and grants will only be given to settings who show a clear need for financial assistance.

2.3How to apply: the application forms and where to send them

You will be required to submit an application form and supporting documents for any application made.

Applications should be submitted electronically and details of how to do this can be found using the following link

If you are unable to apply using the online application form, or if you wish to view the questions in advance, you can view the application form are available in PDF format:

2.4Supporting documents

You should also submit additional information as appropriate to support your application for example:

  • quotes or estimates from appropriate suppliers or contractors for non capital minor works over £5,000;
  • if you propose to carry out works and you are not the owner of your premises, confirmation of landlord approval and a copy of your lease or license and indication of any other charges on the property;
  • three years accounts for the current business.

This list is not exhaustive and other supporting documents may be requested at any stage of the application process.

For any hard copy forms or supporting documentation, please submit by midnight 14thFebruary 2016 to:

Grant Administrator

2 Year Old Revenue Fund Applications

Services for Young Children

Hampshire County Council

The Castle

Winchester

SO23 8UG

Please note that if any items are missing or your application has not been completed in accordance with these guidelines your grant application may be rejected.

It is strongly recommended that you discuss your application with SfYC officers before completing and submitting your application. Details of local contacts can be found on the SfYC Website:

2.5Timeline

Applications for both capital and revenue funding will be invited from 22January 2016.

Closing date for applications is midnight 14 February 2016.

Assessment of applications will be by Hampshire County Council Children’s Services and appropriate support agencies with final decisions by the SfYC Grant Panel in the week commencing 15 February. Decisions in principle will be relayed to applicants by end February 2016.

3APPLICATION ASSESSMENT

Hampshire County Council are committed to ensuring that the grant is available to all eligible providers without discrimination, and that the process is open, fair and inclusive.

Initially, applications will be assessed by Hampshire County Council Children’s Servicestogether with feedback from external and supporting agencies as appropriate. Recommendationswill be made to the Assessment Panel for consideration.

The Assessment Panel will consist of:

  • Representative from SFYC Strategic Management Team
  • SfYC Childcare Development & Funding Policy Manager
  • SfYC Childcare Development Business Officer
  • Representative from Children’s Services Planning and Development Team where appropriate
  • Other panel representatives may be included

Applications will be graded and assessed based on all outlined criteria. This assessment will also take into account the amount of funding applied for, the timescales needed to complete delivery the project.

Applicants will be advised of the outcome of their grant application by end February 2016.

3.3Terms & conditions of approved funding

If you are successful, you will receive a letter and grant agreement that will detail the amount and purpose of the grant.

An example of the revenue grant agreement can be found in Annex B.Once a grant agreement is received, this should be read carefully and independent legal advice sought if you are unsure of any of the terms. You have 14 daysto sign and return the grant agreement or the grant offer will lapse.

Please note: applicants should not assume that funding will be available, or make commitments on the understanding that funding will be available, until they have received writtenconfirmation of the success of their application and once their signed grant agreement has been received with Hampshire County Council.

If your application is unsuccessful, you can receive feedback from your Childcare Development Business Officerwho will be willing to discuss your application and give reasons for the Assessment Panel’s decision.

4 FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION ARRANGEMENTS

4.1 Financial Processes

The financial processes will be implemented in accordance with Hampshire County Council’s Contract Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.No grant payments will be made unless a signed Grant Agreement has been received.

We emphasise that applicants should not assume, or make commitments on the understanding that funding will be available, until they have received writtenconfirmation of the success of their application.

The grant is to be used solely for the purposes detailed and agreed in the project application. Fundamental variations or changes to the project can only be made in writing and must not be implemented until approval from SfYC has been received, in writing.

Projects of £5,000 and under can have a grant award paid in advance, in full, on entering into the Grant Agreement.

Projects of £5,000 and above may be paid in stages or at the discretion of the Council.

4.3Monitoring

The project will be monitored by the Council and all applicants will be required to submit an End of Grant Monitoring Form (Annex C) to indicate to provide a measure of the impact of the project.

Failure to complete the monitoring forms or take part in the process may result in the funding being reclaimed.

Appendix 1

Priority areas

Applications from priority 1 areas will be considered in the first instance and only if grant funds remain unallocated will other ward areas be considered:

District / Priority 1 areas / Priority 2 areas
Basingstoke and Dean / none / All other ward areas
Eastleigh / Eastleigh South
Bishopstoke / All other ward areas
East Hants / Headley Down / All other ward areas
Fareham / none / All other ward areas
Gosport / none / All other ward areas
Hart / none / All other ward areas
Havant / none / All other ward areas
New Forest / Lymington
Pennington / All other ward areas
Rushmoor / none / All other ward areas
Test Valley / none / All other ward areas
Winchester / none / All other ward areas

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January 2016

[1]Providers are those that deliver the full Early Years Foundation Stage.