Childcare is one of the biggest costs facing working families today.
The Government want to make childcare more affordable and accessible to reduce the barriers that may be preventing some parents from working, so are expanding their childcare offer to include more funded hours per week for more working families.
The changes are being introduced gradually, and colleagues from our Early Years and Childcare service are running some free online information sessions in July to help parents understand what support they might be eligible for and how to access more early years funded childcare and other financial help.
There is no need to book, just join by clicking on the links below:
While these sessions are primarily for parents, anyone that would like to know more about Early Years Funding is welcome to attend.
Eligible working parents of children aged three and four -years -old can get up to 30 hours per week of funded childcare. Since April, eligible working parents of two-year-olds, and some parents that receive additional forms of government support, can also access up to 15 hours per week of funded childcare.
From September 2024 working parents of children aged from nine months will be able to access up to 15 hours per week of funded childcare. Applications are now open for eligible working parents whose child will be nine months old by Saturday 31 August 2024.
The aim is that, by September 2025, most working families will be entitled to up to 30 hours of government support with childcare costs from the start of the funding period after their child turns 9 months old, until they start school.
The scheme is open to parents who work and earn under £100,000 a year, but on average more than £183 a week (the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum or Living Wage).
Applications for 15 hours funded childcare open from when a child is 23 weeks old, and 30 hours funded childcare from when a child is 2 years and 36 weeks old. Parents must also reconfirm their eligibility every three months.
Depending on your provider, your funded childcare hours can be used over 38 weeks of the year (during school term time), or up to 52 weeks if you use fewer hours per week. They can be used with one or more approved childcare provider, including day care settings such as nurseries and pre-schools, at childminders, sessional providers such as play groups and after school clubs.
Over 5,000 more children in Devon will be benefit from funded childcare this year as a result of these changes, so there may be a shortage places in some areas. You can search for providers on our ‘Find Childcare in Devon’ website and contact your local setting for more information and to discuss your requirements .
To give providers more flexibility, the Government has increased the staff-to-child ratio so now one member of staff can look after five children. They’re also increasing the hourly rate paid to childcare providers and are offering an incentive of up to £1,200 for people to become childminders.
You can find out more about the different job roles within early years, the qualifications and training available, such as the Government’s Early Years Educator Apprenticeship Scheme and where the latest job vacancies are, on our Early Years and Childcare Service website.
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