30 Hours Free. How does it work?

[jammyjay]

I know the clue is in the thread title but I'm slightly confused as to how it all works. My DS is 3 in August so I should be eligible for his 30 hours in September. However I've been told, by friends, that it won't be full days. And it's not 30 hours a week across the year (if that makes sense) I know it doesn't officially start until September but there are some 'pilot schemes' happening.
Has anyone taken advantage of this yet? Could they please fill me in?

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

Hi, you will need to see what individual childcare providers do. The 30 funded hours is woefully underfunded and not all childcare providers will be able to offer it at all (some will of course but how they do this will vary). Annoying reply sorry but it is very difficult to generalise. I would speak to your local childcare providers.

[Dropmeout]

I believe The current 15 hours free is term time only. So if your child attends a nursery that shuts in the holidays it is 15 hours a week. However if it's 52 week a year nursery I believe the 15 hours turns out to be 11 hours a week (or something similar) to even it out across the year. If I'm wrong, feel free to correct me anyone 😊

[Dropmeout]

Meant to add- so I can imagine when you say that you were told the full 30 hours won't cover all weeks of the year that the 30 hour funding will be the same as the 15 hour

[RicStar]

It certainly won't be 30 hours all year as it is only term time (38 weeks) that is actually funded - though some nurseries may spread it evenly others may charge full price for holidays. It is under funded and very poorly implemented scheme - in sense no one including the government seems to understand how it will / should work in practice.

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

That's how my DD's 15 hours funding works yes drop. However, the local preschools are not planning on doing the 30 hours. There is a massive waiting list (looming preschool place crisis as local baby boom) as it is and using 30 hours would mean turning more children away.

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

Fully agree RicStar

[Ihearthickson]

It equates to 1140 hours a year if you qualify. 30 hours 38 weeks of the year. No childcare provider has to offer it. Google the Gov's new Childcare Choices website

[NeverTwerkNaked]

My fa

[NeverTwerkNaked]

Sorry! Phone problems!
It's 30 hours for 38 weeks a year. Most private nurseries will say you have to pay for full 52 weeks to guarantee your place each term though. I suspect many will also have no choice but to find ways to make up for the "funding" gap, whether that is increasing their hourly rate/charging for meals etc.

[Cric]

Each nursery will offer availability in different ways which suit them. So for example you maybe able to use it over 3 days 8-6 however others may ask you to use it over a whole week. You will have to speak to the individual nursery to find out their rules.

[jammyjay]

Thanks for your replies. That's given me some food for thought.

[Kinsie]

30 hours free...how does it work?

Simple answer is that it doesn't.

The funding the government is offering nurseries is abysmal, so they can fuck right off with their talk of "free" hours because they are anything but.

OP, you will have to see what the uptake is in your area and what the individual nurseries are offering.

Many many places can't afford to offer it so won't be, and there are a huge number of childminders/nurseries/preschools closing their doors.

Because of this, it is unlikely there will be enough funded (not free!) places for all who are eligible, and many of the providers that do offer the hours will have to find ways of making up the shortfall.

So unfortunately, no one can really answer your question quite yet. It's a bit of a waiting game and an almighty cock-up.

[Kinsie]

For a slightly less ranty explanation (sorry!) have a watch of this

[Kinsie]

I've just seen this video too. Promise I'll stop getting cross now 😂

m.youtube.com/watch?v=XSKSRV1QXmM

[HSMMaCM]

As mentioned above, there are many different ways to offer it. One nursery could to 8-6 and give sessions in 10x3 blocks. Another night do 9-12 and 1-4, so 19x3 hours. It can be different in every setting, if they are offering it at all. You need to ask everywhere you go.

[HRHTiggyD]

I heard a radio presenter saying that 1 in 5 nurseries are not offering the 30 hours.

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

Yes, as PPs say, the idea that every eligible child will be able to get their 30 hours seems very unlikely. In addition fees for founder children may well go up as nurseries recoup their costs. It's a great sound bite which sadly has no real funding or structure behind it.

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

younger not founder

[CactusFred]

How many hours do parents have to be working to qualify?

Interested as I may have advised someone wrongly. She works full-time and her DP part-time.

Unfortunately for me this comes in just as my ds starts school but have been more than grateful for the 15 hours!

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

Cactus, I'm not sure exactly (maybe others are) but www.childcarechoices.gov.uk - this is the website Ihearthickson suggested earlier which is well worth a look at. It details the (somewhat vague) criteria. Of course this may change depending on election results. It shortchanges childcare providers hugely though and I notice the government's own website states that it is only participating providers - they will know that many will not be participating.

[nannynick]

Cactus, eligibility is done on earnings amount:

To be eligible, you (and your partner if you have one), must either:<br />
<ul><li>each expect to earn at least £115 a week or work more than 16 hours at the National Living Wage (unless you became self-employed less than 12 months ago), or each expect to earn at least £111 a week or work more than 16 hours at the National Minimum Wage (unless you became self-employed less than 12 months ago)<br />
</li><li>each expect to earn at least £61.92 a week if you're under 18, £84.80 a week if you're aged 18-20 or £52.80 a week if you're an apprentice (either under 19 or in the first year of your apprenticeship)<br />
</li></ul><br />
~~~~<br />
(<a class="break-all" href="https://childcare-support.tax.service.gov.uk/moreinfopar/2/?returnURL=%2F" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">source</a>)

[mummy2pickle]

My dd pre school is on the pilot scheme and it starts next week. We have been told that the 30 hours a week can be used for breakfast,lunch and after school clubs as well. And if you don't use all 30 through the week (mainly because they won't have space) it can be 'banked' and used for holiday club.
I think every area is different but ours works so well for a working family. We intend to use 21-25 hours a week and bank the rest to help towards holiday clubs

[newbieho]

@mummy2pickle where are you based (which region)? Your pre-school seems to be very flexible.