Almost £300,000 has been given to Notts to improve childcare facilities.

The New Opportunities Fund has given three grants to open 26 new childcare clubs, and expand 15 existing clubs.

Up to 500 places could be offered once the clubs are set up.

Nottingham Early Years Development and Childcare partnership has also received £185,591 to create ten new clubs and expand five existing ones. It is not yet known how many places could be created for city children.

Katherine Hewitt, business and employer officer at Nottingham City Early Years and Childcare Unit, welcomed the award.

She said: "We're pleased and excited to have received £185,591 to further create, expand and develop childcare places in the city of Nottingham.
"We are particularly proud that this award will support children and families in a diverse range of settings, the vast majority of which are located in the city's most disadvantaged areas."

Nottingham City Council has been given £22,168 to create 56 after-school places, 48 before and after-school and 196 other places for children aged 3-15 years, created as a result of ten new clubs and the expansion of five existing ones, serving 18 schools.

The Newark area will also benefit from new funds to create up to 310 new child-care places. A total of £89,190 has been given to the Youth, Community and Play Service to fund 148 after-school, 24 before-school, 46 holiday, 49 all-year round and 17 weekend places for children aged three-14 in the Newark and Sherwood district.

The funding will result in six new clubs and expand 10 existing provisions. Baroness Jill Pitkeathley , chair of the New Opportunities Fund, said: "The number of out of school clubs has nearly doubled since we began funding these projects all over the country in 1999.
"We know that without these clubs many parents would not be able to access work or training, and they can concentrate more on the task in hand knowing that their children are safe and well looked after.
"And, of course, that their children are having a marvellous time!"

Used courtesy of the Notts Evening Post