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Funded Childcare in Scotland...
Funded childcare in Scotland was expanded in August 2021, so that all families with children aged 3 and 4, could access support with their early years education. To find out more about what is meant by early years, please have a look here.
The available funding schemes in Scotland are explained below, but to find the best funded childcare option for your family, it's recommended you take a look at the government's Best Start in Life website, formerly known as Childcare Choices.
3-4 Year Old Funding...
ALL children are entitled to 1140 hours of 'funded early learning and childcare' across the year, which can be taken like this:
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22 hours a week if used all year round
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30 hours a week if used term time only (38 weeks)
Children can take up their funded place the term after their third birthday. To learn more about the terms, have a look here.
To find out more about this, follow the link below to the funding pages on the myscot.gov website:
2 Year Old Funding...
If families are in receipt of certain benefits and meet specific criteria (for example the parent or child has experience of care), then their child may be eligible for funded early learning and childcare.
This works in the same way as the funded places for 3 and 4 year olds, so children are entitled to 1140 hours across the year, which can be taken like this:
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22 hours a week if used all year round
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30 hours a week if used term time only (38 weeks)
Children can take up their funded place the term after their second birthday. To learn more about the terms, have a look here.
To find out more about this, follow the link below to the funding pages on the myscot.gov website:
Funding for Babies
Funding is not available for babies, however there are organisations that support families with their early years care for babies and young children.
Early Years Scotland's website advertises 'Baby Stay Play and Learn' sessions and free Baby Massage Classes. To find out more about this, please follow the link below.
Other Childcare Support...
f your family is eligible, you maybe able to use universal credit payments towards childcare costs. To find out more about this and other options available to you, please follow this link to the myscot.gov website.
Other Help to Pay for Childcare
Tax Free Childcare
If your family is eligible, you may be able to claim tax free childcare! To find out more about what that entails, please have a nosey here, which will take you to a dedicated section on this website.
Summer Holiday Food, Activities and Childcare Programme
If your family is eligible your child maybe able to access free summer holiday clubs with meals. To find out if this is available in your area, please follow this link to find your local authority's website, where they may be a dedicated section for it with details of how to apply. If not, call their main switch board and ask to speak with someone about it.
Applying for Funding...
Extended Funding
In order to access the funded childcare, you need to apply directly through your local council.
Please follow this link to find your council's website, where they may be a dedicated section for it with details of how to apply. If not, call their main switch board and ask to speak with someone about it.
Term Dates and Birthdays...
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The 1140 hours of funding can be taken across the whole year, or term time only.
When you see information that states your child is not eligible for funding until the term after their qualifying birthday, it's referring to these dates, and the government is strict! If your child misses the cut off by even one day, they have to wait until the following term to access the funding!
Birthday falls between 1 March and 31 August
- Start in Autumn Term
Birthday falls between 1st September and 31st December
Start in Spring Term
Birthday falls between 1st January and 28/29th February
Start in Summer Term
Consumable Fees...
Childcare providers are likely to ask parents to pay consumable fees for items that are not covered by the funded hours. This may include items such as; snacks, meals, trips out, sun cream, nappies, wipes etc.
This is of particular significance for those children in receipt of 3 - 4 year old funding as the rate paid by the government for this age group is considerably less than that for 2-3 year olds, and even more so for than the rate paid for the 9 - 23 month old age group!
Consumable fees and funding rates have been 'hot topics' for a long time across the entire childcare sector. Sadly, it appeared that some settings were being vague with their consumables and overcharging parents, whilst others were not asking for any contributions and were struggling to make ends meet.
The Department for Education updated its statutory guidance, providing clarity and transparency for both providers and parents, regarding the access of funded places and the associated consumable fees.
The article below from the DfE explains the new policies on charging and it also contains a link to the Statutory Guidance, which has a specific parents' section under Part C.
Childminding Expenses
Whilst childcare fees are expensive, hence the government subsidies to support parents with this, there are also a lot of expenses that childminders need to cover! As many work from home, it is often assumed that their overheads are low, but that isn't the case!
Childminders need to pay for registration, insurance, Ofsted or agency fees, statutory training, continuous professional development, organisation memberships, specialist equipment to suit their cohort, resources, home adaptations to make it safe, suitable vehicle and car seats (if applicable),
resources for both indoors and out that suit all age groups and support all areas of learning and development... the list goes on and that doesn't include items like meals, snacks and trips that would be included in the consumables fee.
Childminders are a unique breed whose careers are lifestyle choices, because they often work from home and it's hard to separate the two. They provide their mindees with the best of both worlds; excellent educations in warm and nurturing homes.