Last week the New Opportunities Fund announced that 24m would go to a total of 393 schemes, of which 338 will provide childcare. This will create just under 33,000 new childcare places.
Projects in England are to receive nearly 19m. One of them is for Pounds 20,674 for a holiday childcare project for shiftworkers at Belmarsh prison in London's Thamesmead. Janice Allaway, secretary of the Belmarsh Holiday Play Scheme and a prison officer and parent, said, 'There's no real childcare provision in this country for parents who work shifts. It's impossible even to get childminders in this area, so we're delighted with the grant.'
Schemes in Scotland are to receive grants worth 3m. Glasgow City Council has won 320,728 to develop a range of activities for autistic children and children with challenging behaviour, while a partnership led by Highland Council was awarded more than 129,000 to create a total of 331 new childcare places.
Childcare development officer for the South Highlands Emma Taylor said, 'The award enables us to develop a diverse childcare package, for example providing the first childcare in the area to be delivered through the Gaelic medium. We will also be able to provide for children with profound special needs.'
A total of about 750,000 goes to Welsh projects providing before- and after-school places, childminding facilities and holiday club schemes. Northern Ireland saw a significant boost for provision in Co Tyrone, which won Pounds 150,000 of the 1.3m total awarded to schemes in the Province.
Anne Longfield, director of the Kids' Clubs Network, said, 'Obviously, we all wanted to see large amounts of projects setting up and this is absolutely the kind of money we need to start. But it's important to realise we are still at the beginning in many areas and we need to push now to ensure we get as many places as possible in disadvantaged areas and encourage providers to take advantage of the opportunities open to them.'
