What is funded childcare

Funded childcare is a government incentive fulfilled by Local Authorities which aims to provide financial support for eligible families accessing childcare at an OFSTED registered setting.

Funding typically covers 15 or 30 hours per week for the 38 term weeks of the year. This is offered as either 10-hour full day sessions, 5-hour half day AM or PM sessions and some of our nurseries offer 7-hour school day sessions. Funding can be applied in different ways depending how many weeks of the year your child is in childcare:

• Children who are in year-round childcare will receive “stretched” funding. This means that their 15/30 hours over 38 weeks will be stretched over 51/52 weeks (dependent on how many weeks the nursery is open annually).
• Children who have term-time only childcare places (available in limited Partou nurseries) will receive 15/30 hours funding per week over 38 weeks of the year.

Terms dates are set by Local Authorities and these vary, so when you access funding in the term can impact the hours you are eligible for within that term period. Term-time only places are limited and are subject to availability at each nursery.

It is important to note that funded childcare covers the cost of care only which includes; trained, qualified team members taking care of your child, regular updates about your child and their progress at nursery, a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities tailored to the needs of your child, and use of the nursery building facilities.

Government funded hours cover the cost of care only and does not cover meals, snacks, drinks and consumables such as nappies, wipes and suncream. We ask parents in receipt of government funded hours to contribute to the meals and consumables fee. More details are available here.