All councils have been informed of their funding for 2006 to 2008through the General Sure Start Grant, which supports delivery of theGovernment's 10-year childcare strategy. This totals 1.1bn for2006/07 and 1bn for 2007/08.
Annie Davy, head of early years and childcare at Oxfordshire CountyCouncil, said her team was in the process of working out the full impactof the funding package on services. But while funding appeared to haveremained relatively stable for 2006/07, giving the council the money itneeded to expand childcare services for three- and four-year-olds, itlooked like it had dropped for 2007/08.
This would make it harder to meet targets such as a proposed legal dutyto ensure sufficient childcare, contained in the Childcare Bill, saidDavy. However, she added that this would depend on whether schoolspicked up part of the cost of childcare through extended schools'funding.
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