Claiming funding for looking after my son

[RandomAccessMemory]

I'm a Childminder in Essex and as well as looking after other parent's children I also look after my own son, my son turned three a week ago and I was looking forward to being able to claim free entitlement funding for him from the spring term.

However I have just discovered that because I'm looking after my own son the local authority will not allow me to claim the funding for him, they say that there is a blanket ban on childminders claiming funding for children whom they are related to.

I don't want to send him to another childminder so should I kick up a fuss? I don't see why I should miss out just because I happen to be looking after him.

Spot on titchy, my child is entitled to the 30hrs funding but I only use the 15 hrs because I am a childminder so I send her to preschool because that benefits her, gives her independence away from me with peers of her on age on the same journey in preparation for her move into school life. My daughter then benefits from having the rest of her time with me and the children within my care. Never in a million years would I expect to be paid for being a parent.

Fuck off yourself someone. We all pay taxes to provide for our needs. Health, education childcare, social carehousing, refuse collection......
Children use a great many of these rescources which is for the good of society. You may not have children but later need care or surgery.
It's called a welfare state, some things are best provided by government, others not.

titchy

but why is it an article of faith that it is better to get parents out to work than have them...well...parent?

There is marginal evidence for the most deprived in society that nursery is a benefit. There is no evidence for the rest of children that being looked after outside the home is better than inside.

Why is the government paying for child care at all? Why should anyones taxes go to 'encourage' parents to hand over parenting to others?

oh - and what is this imaginary divide between parenting and educating?

Parents educate...often more than nursery and school.

Parents educate as part of parenting. Nobody pays them to do so

Missing Welfare state should absolutely provide for what’s its there for. Which is NOT for a parent to look after their own child ffs. If OP got money for that it means less money for someone who genuinely and legitimately needs it. So fuck off back at ya.

Why should anyones taxes go to 'encourage' parents to hand over parenting to others?

So they can work and pay taxes. The Government doesn't want to pay benefits and as soon as they get a job they cut there benefits. They cant leave the job if they want to the Government fixed that, they won't get anything.

but why is it an article of faith that it is better to get parents out to work than have them...well...parent?

Errr cos that's Conservative Party policy...

Government win twice - tax from childcare businesses and working parents.

It's not always a govt win cutes. A family claiming childcare tax credit with one parent working full time on min wage and the other part time on min wage with a couple of preschoolers will be claiming more money in childcare tax credits and funded hours than what they pay in taxes - total false economy. The govt plan is just to get as many people working as they can regardless of whether it is beneficial to children and society and the public purse.
I still don't think childminders should her funding to mind their own children though as that is just parenting.

If you could claim childcare fees to look after your own child, any SAHM could set up as a childminder, and claim money to be paid to look after her child.

You don’t get paid because you are his parent! Why should you be paid to look after him? Should sahp also be paid once their child is 3? Should I be able to claim for the day off I have on the week and don’t send my DS to Nursery on?

You are being daft, you get the benefit of spending time with your child that other working parents don’t and still want more. If you really feel like you are missing out then send him to a nursery or other childminder

I think the Government is wrong to view getting children into nursery, as better than being at home with a parent. There is evidence that the most neglected children benefit from nursery/childcare at an early age. But for other children there is no benefit. Children from 3 years benefit from playing with other children, but that does not need to be at a nursery.

I see there is indeed additional tax revenue but surely that isn't actually enough to offset the childcare fee?

The whole concept is that people couldn't work because it wouldn't cover the childcare fee.....so how are the taxes from work that wouldn't cover the childcare fee, supposed to cover the childcare fee?

I mean the tax is a smaller quantity than the salary right?

If you could claim childcare fees to look after your own child, any SAHM could set up as a childminder, and claim money to be paid to look after her child.

Yes, because it is so easy to be a Childminder

Surely the money you would gain by having another child in that space, you would pay out again having them looked after by another childminder? Its always going to be net neutral for your own child so you may as well look after them and not have the extra costs for travel etc.

Surely the money you would gain by having another child in that space, you would pay out again having them looked after by another childminder?
I thought that the hours at the other CM would be "free" so the OP would end up better off.

Yes, because it is so easy to be a Childminder hmm

It is easy. No qualifications needed of any kind, one ofsted visit and a basic medical check. What do you think is difficult about it?

If you could claim childcare fees to look after your own child, any SAHM could set up as a childminder, and claim money to be paid to look after her child.

Yep, I'm assuming that's why the government closed the loophole.

You don't need any qualifications to be a registered childminder? Not even in first aid?

basic paediatric first aid after you have set up. But anyone can do that.

You need a first aid certificate and in some parts of the U.K. an introductory childcare course.

You need to have at least completed an introductory course and first aid, and be able to deliver the EYFS. You also need to be caring for unrelated children as well as your own and meet statutory welfare requirements, and be inspected by Ofsted.

Different Local Authorities have different rules.

Should all parents be paid to look after their own kid? This thread is a bit weird. Yes, you are a child minder so get paid for looking after other peoples kids, why on earth would you be paid for looking after your own? I do kind of get where you are coming from as if you chose to send them elsewhere then the funding would be there but...a lot of parents would love to be paid to look after their own kid and be able to give up work for that too. Doesn't work like that, nor should it.