Can I get funding for two places when my child turns three

[yorkshirepuddling]

I know that from the term after their third birthday children get free nursery places upto 12.5 hours a week during term time. However due to work commitments of myself and my husband, my daughter spends 3 days a week in our city and 2 days a week in a neighbouring city being looked after by a relative.

Is it possible for her to attend our local nursery (attached to a school) for the three mornings a week and attend a playgroup for the other two mornings (as she currently does) and would both places be funded.

I've tried looking this up but can't find the answer anywhere.

Thanks

You may find that the funding doesn't cover all the sessions anyway but you can split funding between as many places as you wish.

You usually can but the nursery may get first call on the funding and often require 5 sessions attendance. Are they under the same LEA ?

I think the school nursery would want full funding as they wouldn't be able to offer the other 2 days to another child.

not under the same LEA - the nursery is fine with only a few days

As far as I know, if it's an LEA nursery, they will demand the full 5 session funding. If it's two private nurseries, then you are able to split the funding.

I was in the exact same position as you 5 years ago. I did receive funding for both places FOR ONE TERM ONLY then they said they had made a mistake and withdrew the funding for the second nursery.

I was just glad they didn't ask for it back but to be fair, there were about 10 of us doing this and we thought it was OK, just a genuine misunderstanding and they withdrew the money from all of us.

If one of the places is attached to a shool then locally you cannot get the funding for the other place.

I got the funding split over 2 location but they were both private and in the same LEA. I'm not sure whether the LEA of your relative would have a duty to fund a place for your dd?

the preschool I work in is in the same building as the school, but is not part of the school iyswim. we have lots of children who go to another setting, and the vouchers are split between the 2 no problem. I don't know about whether there would be a problem if it was a school nursery though.