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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

30 free hours

6 replies

mumof2wife · 07/02/2025 19:54

My 2.5 yr old does 2x full days 8-6pm all year round at a private nursery and her the finding hours at the nursery are 9-12 or 12-3 or 9-3 then we pay wrap around care for 50 weeks of the year and pay from 8-9am and 3pm-5pm

Our bill is still £477 and we have to provide food

I'm trying to work out a schedule to reduce our bill come September when she gets her 30 hrs without me having to work 10-2 term time
My job pretty flexible I currently work 3 full days 9-5 and my mum has my daughter one day a week

I still want at least one day a week with my daughter as at the moment I have two and it's a great balance
But she definitely would benefit from more nursery and I love my day offs in the week with her

Next year she will be at school and doing 5 days so the maximum I want her to do is 4 days come September

My mum will be able to do pick ups so I'm thinking something like

Monday - 9-3 my mum to collect
Tuesday 9-3 funded
Wednesday full day - pay wrap around 4hrs
Thursday day off - no hours used
Friday 9-3 funded

Then I can work my normal Monday Wednesday Friday and my mum can collect Monday and Friday and I ask to work an extra day 10-2 on Tuesday

Thing is - due to wrap around care and funding being only term time it's still going to be expensive as I'll still be using an extra day and I'll be paying when it's not funded

But this is only using 24 hours of the 30
Hours but I cant see how i can make it work any better?

Has anyone got any ideas or been in same position when it came to the 30 hours ?

Thanks for reading

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
jannier · 09/02/2025 09:33

Do the nursery stretch funding? This typically gives around 22 hours a week.

mumof2wife · 09/02/2025 12:42

jannier · 09/02/2025 09:33

Do the nursery stretch funding? This typically gives around 22 hours a week.

Yes they do so this seems like the best option

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YouveGotAFastCar · 09/02/2025 12:56

Mine went up when my son turned 3 in January as the supplement went up. They did not warn us. It’s because government funding per hour goes down.

Lunde · 09/02/2025 17:20

Does the nursery place restrictions on when funding can be used?

for example Some only offer it in sessions - so funding can only be used 9-12 and 1-4 and wraparound is needed for lunchtimes and before/after care,

mumof2wife · 11/02/2025 12:42

YouveGotAFastCar · 09/02/2025 12:56

Mine went up when my son turned 3 in January as the supplement went up. They did not warn us. It’s because government funding per hour goes down.

Omg I didn't realize that
Currently my wrap around care is 11 per hour and pay £18 per week consumables

OP posts:
mumof2wife · 11/02/2025 12:43

Lunde · 09/02/2025 17:20

Does the nursery place restrictions on when funding can be used?

for example Some only offer it in sessions - so funding can only be used 9-12 and 1-4 and wraparound is needed for lunchtimes and before/after care,

Yes I believe it can be used 9-12 or 12-3 or the whole day 9-3 still waiting for them to confirm

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