free nursery places for 2yos??

[oxomum]

Asking for a friend of mine. Someone mentioned that there would be free places for "deprived" 2 yos. And some friends we know appear to have places (when not working so we wondered if they were "free"?)

Anyway friend is low income so was wondering if anyone knows the criteria for the free places??

TIA!

Do you mean this? The extension of the scheme to 2 year olds (announced last November) rolls out in 2013.

A friend having a baby who already has 2 yo twins was told they might be eligible for this, by the midwife I think, but when they looked into it they were told that the scheme had been being piloted but had now ended/money had run out. This could be just a local scheme or local decision to end it, no idea.

That was a separate scheme to the one mentioned above by Edith.

I think it depends where you live. my health visitor mentioned this at dd2's 1yr check this week.

The term after her 2nd birthday she can have 15 hours a week free iirc

Hi, Could it be time for two's?, my DS did this as he had major speech problems, and it is mainly given to familys which they think will be in the childs best interest going to nursery, in my DS' case it was to improve his speech (he got 9 hours a week) but income does play a factor too, mainly low income families get this. But spaces are limited and i've known people turned down for it.

In certain areas of Manchester, the mentioned pilot scheme for parents on benefits is already permanent. See www.manchester.gov.uk/info/200016/nurseries_and_childcare/1748/help_with_childcare_costs/3 for more info and which areas are eligible.

Hi - thanks for all the replies. I think it depends on the area then - a bit of a shame as something like this must make quite a big financial difference to the families involved.

It seems the criteria is different depending on the local authority area, for instance the Manchester scheme seems to make receipt of benefits the only criteria. In our area (Plymouth), the following must be met to apply for a place for a 2 year old:-

Who can use?
In order to qualify for this scheme your family will need to meet certain criteria.

This includes:
? Your postcode being in one of the pilot areas
of Plymouth or
? Being an Asylum Seeker, Gypsy, Roma
or Traveller.

One parent must be in receipt of one of the benefits listed below (unless you are an Asylum Seeker, Gypsy, Roma or Traveller):
? Income Support
? Income based Job Seekers Allowance
? Child Tax Credit at a rate higher than the family element
? Extra Working Tax Credit relating to disability
? Pension Credit
? Employment Support Allowance
? Incapacity Benefit

Local Criteria
Eligible children also need to meet one or more of
the following criteria:
? Referred to or accessing the Speech and Language service
? Live in a family with Social care involvement
? Have parents with health or disability issues
? Have parents who are teenagers
? Have a Child Protection plan
? Have a disability or learning delay
? Have families that are substance or alcohol misusers
? Be identified as having emotional or behavioural problems
? Live in a Black or Minority Ethnic (BME) family
? Live in temporary accommodation
? Live in families who have experienced domestic violence
? Live in families where there are three or more children under five years old
? Live in a lone parent family

If we do not have enough places to meet the demand, we will give priority to those children who meet more than one criteria.

The only child I know who has got the funding from two years old had been in a family that had experienced domestic violence and curretnly live in temporary accomodiation. Her mother is a lone parent. I have no idea if they have had social services involvement or not.

"Live in a Black or Minority Ethnic (BME) family"

Surely that is illegal and outright racist. Its wrong give priority to free nursery funding just because a child lives in a Black or minority ethnic family.

I think it would be sense to give priority to family where English is not spoken at home. I know a little Polish girl who would really benefit from free nursery as she can't speak a word of English.