What does the Rainbow Childcare Placements Panel do?

Our Rainbow Childcare Placements Panel considers requests for short-term funding to contribute towards the costs  of an Additional Support Worker for childcare settings and respite placements in order to:

  • enhance the wellbeing and resilience of families of children with disabilities and / or additional needs
  • support parents of children with disabilities and/or additional needs to work

The panel meets monthly and requests for funding must be submitted by the first working day of the month of the panel meeting. Funding is always temporary and is only allocated as the budget allows.

The panel also considers requests for Additional Learning Needs support for children accessing the Childcare Offer for Wales who have a disability and/or additional need.

Childcare placements criteria and guidance

The definition of ‘Disability or Additional Need’ is: a disability, complex health need or additional need which is likely to last more than 12 months and has a substantial impact on everyday life (can be considered without diagnosis).

It is expected that children with additional needs will already be supported by a number of different organisations who should be listed on the application form. Supporting statements from these organisations may be requested before the panel meets.

Applications will only be accepted from professionals working with the family (e.g. childcare provider, health care worker). 

What is the criteria for funding?

Applications to the Rainbow Childcare Placements Panel will be considered to allow children aged 0 – 19 with a disability and/or additional need to access childcare, where...

  1. To support parents to work / study via the provision of an Additional Support Worker to support the childcare placement for a child with a disability or additional need.
  2. To support a child to access the Childcare Offer: the provision of an Additional Support Worker and / or other resources for a child with a disability or additional need.
  3. To help improve child / family wellbeing for vulnerable families; a respite placement / or childcare placement costs and / or an Additional Support Worker to support the childcare placement.
     

We’re unable to approve funding for an Additional Support Worker where the child is already receiving similar funding or similar services from another agency. We’re unable to approve funding for childcare placements where the family is receiving other sources of childcare funding for the same purpose.

How much funding is offered?

The funding for childcare offered through this panel could contribute (if required):

  • £12 per hour towards the cost of employing an extra member of staff who will act as an inclusion worker for a specific child or children (Additional Support Worker)

How many hours per week can the funding go towards?

The maximum number of hours per week that the funding can provide towards the cost of employing an additional member of staff is broken down as follows...

Additional Support Worker Funding - Childcare Offer

Term time 

Three year olds (Early Education) – maximum of 20 hours per week

Three to four year olds (Foundation Phase Nursery) – maximum of 17.5 hours per week 

School holidays 

Maximum of 30 hours (three and four year olds) per week

The funding will be monitored during the childcare offer period, in line with the child’s Person Centred Reviews. 

Additional Support Worker Funding – to allow parents to work

For children who are not in full-time education, funding is available for a maximum of 16 hours a week for a maximum of 13 weeks or 1 school term. If the family is in receipt of the Childcare Offer, they are not eligible for additional hours.

For children who are in full-time education, funding is available for a maximum of 10 hours a week for a maximum of 13 weeks or 1 school term.

For school holidays, a maximum of 16 hours a week for a maximum of 9 weeks of school holidays is available for all children. If the family is in receipt of the Childcare Offer, they are not eligible for additional holiday hours or weeks.

Hours awarded will be based on parents/guardians’ working patterns.

Additional Support Worker Funding - to enhance the well-being and resilience of families 

Maximum of two half day or short sessions per week (maximum of 6 hours per session) usually for 3 months.

Can the funding be withdrawn?

If the child misses three sessions of funded childcare, the setting is responsible for informing the panel administrator of this and the funding offer may be withdrawn after the third missed session. A new application would need to be made for any future funding. Spot checks will be carried out by WFIS staff.

Additional Support Worker staff employment

In the case of Additional Support Worker funding being agreed, this extra member of staff is employed by and reports to the childcare setting itself, which is responsible for meeting the additional employment costs that this scheme does not cover. The setting is responsible for making sure that the employee is suitably qualified and checked via an appropriate safe recruitment process. The setting will also need to make sure that the employee works within the scope of their policies, procedures and any additional legal requirements. The Additional Support Worker is employed to solely support the child identified on the application form unless otherwise indicated by Panel.

Appeals

You can appeal against a panel decision in the event that you don’t agree with the outcome reached.

Appeals forms can be requested from paneladmin@wrexham.gov.uk. Once the form is completed, return it via email to paneladmin@wrexham.gov.uk.

Any appeal must clearly demonstrate the reasoning behind your rejection of the panel’s decision. Extra information or evidence not included in the original application form must be provided in order for the appeal to be considered.

Appeals must be received by the Thursday before each panel meeting. Any received after this time will be considered at the following panel meeting.

If you then disagree with the decision on the appeal, you can submit a complaint via the council’s general complaints procedure.

Childcare placements application process