Now DD is 3, do our childcare costs get subsidised at all?

[chestnutter]

Forgive my ignorance but I need advice: DD goes to a childminder two full days a week. She has just turned three and I wondered whether this meant some of the costs get subsidised? Or does that only apply at a nursery? She starts pre-school in September but will still continue with the childminder for at least one afternoon a week. Very grateful indeed for any advice...

only applies to nursery I'm afraid

childminder subsidies through working tax credit is all that's available I believe

Childminders fees are only subsidised if they are accredited and can take the nursery vouchers for 3 and 4 year olds.

Thanks - are working tax credits the same as childcare vouchers? Again sorry for ignorance!

If your CM is registered as "quality asssured" you can use this. This is over and above the usual registration requirements. Very few are though.

The term after they turn three thing is for Nursery Education, not for childcare per se.

I think you get the vouchers or a pre-school place for 5 sessions, so if dd is going to pre-school that'll be her free childcare allowance. Or if you were using a nursery instead of sending her to pre-school you could use the vouchers for that, but not as well as the pre-school.

Ok that's all brilliant info - makes sense. She will be going to preschool 5 mornings a week so I guess that's my lot. Thanks heaps.

Both of those things were called vouchers in our local area. both the workplace childcare voucher scheme, and the local council subsidising the over-3's nursery places scheme. Maybe the exact terminology varies between areas.