Childcare for 1 year old

[EverydaySeemsLikeAWar]

Posting here for traffic

I've just received a phonecall off the local college and I've been accepted onto a course that starts in March

I'm currently receiving ESA, CTC & CB

My baby is 13 months old, everywhere I've looked online says you only get help with costs for 2 +

But my ( now ex ) friend had a 1 and 2 year old in nursery and got help with both of their costs. I just can't remember how she went about it

Does anybody know where or if I could get help with her childcare?

It would be for 1 day a week, from 7:30 till 3:30

Or if I can't get any help how much would those hours cost me? Or how much would a full day cost?

Thanks for reading

[EverydaySeemsLikeAWar]

I'll add incase anyone asks the reason for the late call was the woman said on the phone the tutor has been Ill so they've been ringing everyone today

[Whatthefreakinwhatnow]

I have no idea about how to get help with the costs I'm afraid, but childminders tend to charge somewhere in the region of £4-5 an hour here, and a days rate at nursery is £40 ish

[BackforGood]

Two paces to ask are - your local Children's Centre, and the college itself. They will know what funding is available in your area.

[Oysterbabe]

The nursery cost depends where you are. About £55 a day where I am, lots more in London I'd imagine! A childminder would probably be cheaper.

[alrightthereharry]

You won't get any additional financial support to pay for child care. It will have to come out of the benefits your already receiving.

Does your course start at 7.30am OP? I think you will find it difficult to find a nursery with what I imagine will be a 7am start at the latest. At least I know the majority of nurseries around here don't take children in until 7.30am. Childminder is likely to be more flexible. Talk to the college and ask if they have a nursery on site- I know our local one does.

You can look on the PACEY or Childcare website to find a childminder.

[BertieBotts]

Well done on your college place :)

Yes, ask the college. That is your best bet. They might have an on site nursery (which will be cheaper or in line with local places in terms of cost) and they might have a hardship fund or grant you can access for help with childcare costs.

You can't get help with childcare from the government only for education. But there is a loophole in that if you work over 16 hours per week, you can claim back any childcare you pay for up to a maximum amount and it doesn't matter what this childcare covers, you just have to prove that you're paying it. I did that to cover my costs for childcare when I was at university. It made my part time course + part time job into a full time endeavour but it was worth it.

[BertieBotts]

If that wasn't that clear in my last paragraph sorry - I mean if you got a part time job for over 16 hours per week on some of the other four days, you could then claim working tax credits, which means you're eligible for assistance with childcare which is up to 80% back up to a maximum amount. You can put all of your childcare into this calculator not only the childcare you use while you are working.

And now I say that, I realise that working tax credits might not be a thing any more, and my advice might be out of date. But that is what I did a couple of years back.

[EverydaySeemsLikeAWar]

Hi, thanks for the replies

Rang the local children's centre but there was no answer, same with the college aswell then realised it was past 5pm

No the course starts at 9am but when I said local college I meant closest college,

It's 40 minutes away on a bus but that's without traffic so really an hour. I'd want her there at 7:30 so I could factor for the bus being late ect.

And it finishes at 2pm but I'd need about an hour to get home and want the extra half hour incase I'm late or somthing


My mum suggested a child minder too but in all honestly I feel funny about sending her off with a singular person. I feel much better at the thought of her being with a few adults.

I'm not sure about working tax credits but if I got a part time job I'm sure that would affect my benifits/rent so not sure it would be worth it

Thanks, I was in college a few years ago but dropped out due to an attack ( not at college )

It'll do me good to get out and about

[BertieBotts]

On the money thing - Child benefit and housing benefit would stay the same. But actually I've just run calculators and you're right. The cost of childcare, with the extra day, is too high to sustain and you'd end up with less money than just paying the ~£45 out of pocket. It's a lot of money out of ESA + CTC, though. Especially with bus travel, too. Try calling the college on Monday to ask about hardship funds as they might be able to help towards one or the other. They might have something on their website, too.

I would also look at nurseries closer to college, rather than closer to home. That way you don't need to worry about the bus being late, and it might be cheaper. Or both, I suppose, extend your options :) Remember that bus timetables do factor in traffic, so you can look at the website to check what time your bus is expected to depart/arrive and you might not need to drop her off quite so early.

[chelsbells]

I work in a nursery and in the past we've had parents who are in college and the college has funded the childcare bill so might be worth looking at?

Also for those hours, you will find that you will get charged a day rate inclusive from 7.30am - 6.30pm - just because you want to pick up earlier doesn't mean you can pay less, that's the way most nurseries work unfortunately as they can't fill an afternoon slot from 3pm - again with a childminder you will only pay for what you use so it's worth remembering.

I have no real idea of childminder costs but a full day at nursery is anywhere between £40 - £55 around here (West Midlands)

Also, check out if the college has a nursery, many do and it fits better for term time hours etc which some nurseries will not accommodate for younger children so you'll be paying for it even if your DD doesn't go in because you're on college holidays.

[writingonthewall]

again with a childminder you will only pay for what you use so it's worth remembering.

not sure that's true. why would a childminder take a child until 3, when they could fill that same place until 6? I'm sure it varies in different areas. OP I'd suggest you post on the home childcare forum for more advice.

[Quodlibet]

I would look for a term-time-only childminder, near college, from 8.45-2.30 or so.

Some colleges have on-site nursery/crèches too - worth asking?

If you find a good childminder they are brilliant, and (my personal opinion) it can be really good for a very young child to develop an attachment with one adult rather than a team like in a nursery.

[Quodlibet]

Actually she might well find a CM who could fit around those hours - ie if they had another child who they did a school drop off/pickup and only had after 3.30.

[LilacAndLovely]

Actually she might well find a CM who could fit around those hours - ie if they had another child who they did a school drop off/pickup and only had after 3.30

That's unlikely - few cm's will take on an after school child if that would take them to capacity and mean they couldn't take a younger child all day.

If your baby is with a cm from 8-2 (for instance) then that's taking up a whole days space - and the liklihood is you'd be charged a day rate, not x hours.