Upcoming Childcare Funding: What you need to know!

Starting from April 2024, the Government has introduced a new scheme of childcare funding, extending the current universal 15 hours of free childcare for 3-year-olds to families with 2-year-olds. We are thrilled to announce that Educare Nursery will be offering this new funding opportunity to eligible families. Parents and Carers can apply for a 15-hour place for their two-year-olds from 2 January 2024. Be sure to register your interest with us quickly, as available spots are expected to be in high demand. Don't miss out on securing a place for your little ones!

Since Universal Free Childcare was introduced in 2010, parents and carers have been saving on the costs of early years education and childcare. Currently, this scheme aims to support families by providing 15 hours of free childcare per week for all 3 and 4-year-olds. This adds up to 570 hours per year. It's in place to make sure you can give your child a head-start without worrying too much about the costly implications.

So, what are the upcoming funding plans? The extension of the childcare funding will be starting from April 2024. By September 2025, eligible working families with children under the age of five will have the opportunity to receive 30 hours of childcare support each week. This allocation of hours will be flexible, allowing usage over 38 weeks of the year (during school term time) or up to 52 weeks for those who use fewer than their total hours per week, depending on the policies of childcare providers.

The timeline for the upcoming changes is as follows:

• Starting April 2024, eligible working parents/carers of 2-year-olds will receive 15 hours of childcare funding support.
• From September 2024, the childcare funding support will be extended to eligible working parents/carers of children aged 9 months to 3 years old.
• Then by September 2025, eligible working parents/carers of children aged under 5 years old will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare support each week.

To find out your eligibility for childcare funding, there are a few factors that will determine your eligibility. Here’s a step-by-step guide that’s super easy to find out what funding you’re entitled to for your little one’s childcare:

• Simply click on this link: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
• Scroll down to your interested funding scheme and click ‘Apply now’.
• You’ll be then asked to enter a few simple details to assess your eligibility through its online checker.
• The information it will ask you covers the area you live, your household income and your child’s name and date of birth.
• The checker will then list all the financial help that may be available to you as a parent/carer and any further information that may interest you about upcoming changes in funding. Also, it makes you aware of what you’re not eligible for.
• Then you can apply for what you’re eligible for. Straightforward, right?

Polite reminder - It is important to provide your childcare code to Sarah Walker, our Finance Manager. This code is essential for us to claim the funding from the government so, once you’ve received your childcare code, get in contact with us as soon as possible.

We are always here to help if you have any questions or problems.