When your child attends primary school, you may need childcare before and after school. This is also known as wraparound care. The Department for Education (DfE) have introduced the National Wraparound Childcare Programme which aims to support families by providing extended childcare services outside of school hours.
Before school care runs in the mornings, before school starts. Each school should offer before school care from 8am, but some start earlier. You can check the start time with the school that your child attends.
Some before school care providers offer breakfast for the children attending.
After school care runs in the afternoons, after school finishes, until 6pm. After school care, like before school care, will usually only be for children who attend the school.
Some after school care providers offer snacks and/or tea for the children attending.
Parents can use Universal Credit childcare support for up to 85% of their childcare costs. Eligible parents can also use Tax Free Childcare to help with up to 20% of the costs to a maximum of £2,000 a year (or up to £4,000 for disabled children).
Wraparound is intended to be an inclusive provision. Speak to your child’s school or wraparound provider about their offer for children with additional needs and what support may be available. If your child gets transport to and from school, this cannot be used to support attendance at a wraparound provision.
Support can be many things, it can be working with the provider around training and guidance, providing visuals and tools to allow better communication, or support from staff to work alongside your child at a setting, working towards independent access.
Use this map to find before and after school care provision in Bedford Borough. Please contact your chosen school directly for more information, to check availability and to find out about booking procedures.
If you have questions about before and after school care or you would like to book care for your child, you should contact your child’s school directly. You can find contact details for all local schools on the Bedford Borough Council School Directory. Local childminders might also offer wraparound care.
To contact the Wraparound Childcare Programme Officer, please email: wraparound@bedford.gov.uk.
Resources have been published to support childcare providers:
To contact the Wraparound Childcare Programme Officer, please email: wraparound@bedford.gov.uk.
