When can I get free daycare?

[DimaL]

The child is 7 months old now. Both parents are in full time employment. Currently grandmother is taking care of the child. From direct.gov.uk website I can see that

"All three and four year olds are entitled to 15 hours of free nursery education for 38 weeks of the year."

If both parents are working are there any other or additional nursery education from 3 years old or younger?

Gosh .. lucky Grandmother !

Nothing for free as far as I know.

The parents can get help with childcare costs through the tax credit system. It depends on what they're earning and the parents still have to pay some.

This site will help you.

You get the fifteen hours a week the term after they turn three. So if she was born in the October, it would start in the January and if she was born in July then it would be free from the September after.

You can take it in daycare or a school nursery or other registered places. So you can have 5 three hour sessions or a nine hour one and then a five hour one. Obviously depending on the provider.

And it depends on a place being available.

Grandmother care is probably infinitely better than any other provision.

Lucinda that is a sweeping generalisation, it isn't always best.

That is a ludicrous thing to say Lucinda.

You might be able to get fifteen hours free pre-school childcare from when she is two, depending on the family income. This was just recently announced and it looks like quite a few of my friends will be eligible.

At the moment it's £9 a 3 hour session where I am until the free sessions kick in the term after they're 3

Tbh if both of you work fulltime can't you afford private nursery childcare?

actually Lucinda the evidence is quite clear that grandmother care is actually almost the worst
here

That is not evidence, and it is out of date anyway.

The fact is that I would never have left any of my children in the care of their grandmother. She openly criticised me in front of my children and undermined me all the way through my marriage to her son.

There is also the fact that, unlike a few decades ago, many grandarents have continued to work after retirement age and have no wish to be in charge of their grandchildren.

Nonsense. How do you make all this stuff up?

Which part of it is made up? And do you have evidence to the contrary?
If so, perhaps you could provide a link?

Go into any B&Q, Homebase, Tesco or any of the other big stores, and you will find many pensioners and grandparents working until well after retirement age.

That is an incorrect statement. When I go into TESCO there are hardly any pensioner employees.

I know you will find this difficult, Lucinda, but please try to keep the thread on the right track and keep your ridiculous grudges and prejudices to yourself.

My Mum cared for my children and it was definitely the best thing for them. We were lucky though as she was only 45 when I had DD but she didn't work.

I know many parents these days have their children when they're older so their own parents are pensioners and aren't able to care for young children.

I am delighted that my mother cares for my 16mth old DD two days a week.

I am very clear in my own mind that it is better for her than a nursery would be.

PS Andiem's evidence refers only to "cognitive" outcomes, which is pretty narrow.

I would never ever leave my dd with grandparents as proper organised weekly childcare (of course the odd babysitting day fine, more for them than me normally). Both sets of grandparents very lovely and totally trustworthy.
Just feels very not right. Not fair on them (they have their own life or should be encouraged to if not), not fair on dd (much more fun at nursery than with Granny) and not fair on me (far too hard to impress and make stick a preference on a Granny than someone you are paying).
Course I am lucky to earn enough to make paid daycare worthwhile £ wise.

Lucinda, I think you're deluded. It's fine for grandparents to watch grandchildren however, it's not always BETTER.

Rubbish like that hacks me off.

Pomme - I would agree that it is not fair to rely on grandparents for full time childcare no matter how lovely they are. It is just not fair. Perhaps a couple of days a week, but full time is just too much.

Grand parents are the best people to look after your children.

The things they can teach the children are priceless.