Free 15hours for 3 yr old in Private Nursery

[MummytoLily]

Hello,

I am sure this question has been asked many times before but I work full time and I am a single parent so my daughter is in a private nursery 3 days a week which I pay for.

My question is how does the free 15 hours Preschool childcare work? How do I claim it? How will affect my childcare fees I pay currently?

My daughter is happy in her nursery (she has been there since she was 6 months old)and can stay there until she is 5 so I dont see why I should upset her by changing her to a different preschool and then have to work out the logistics with childminders etc.

Lots of people must have to be faced with this all the time?

that last one is a bit out of date, but I think the principle remains?

the 15 hours must be 'free at the point of access' and top up fees cannot be charged. our private nursery has just got me to sign the forms setting all this out - yet they are breaching the terms by charging top-up fees!! i feel powerless to complain though as, if i do, their only option would be to pull out of the scheme so we would get no funding. i can understand their costs are higher than the measly £3.63 funding per hour available in our area.

there is a long thread somewhere on here debating it all

Hi all,

I am also very confused with regards to this issue. I am not sure when the scheme rules changed (presume Sept 2010), however after talking to the council it is clear that 15 hours free definitely means FREE.

I am thinking of sending my child to a private pre-schol that is part of the scheme. I want to send him for 5 mornings 9-12 during 38 weeks term time. I was told by the council that the pre-school CANNOT charge me anything for these first 15 hours. They can only charge me if I use extended hours (from 8am) or outside of term time (i.e. during summer holidays).

Unsurprisingly, I spoke to the nursery and they insist they will only knock off c.£600 per term from the total £1,700 fee.

Thanks in advance all

Hi ladies,
Speaking as a parent and someone who works for a nursery I can tell you that this issue isn't cut and dry.

Nurseries don't have to join the free enmtitlement scheme and to be honest the better quality the nursery is the less of an incentive there is for them to join because the amount the local authority pays per hour often doesn't cover the cost (this is the cost let alone any profit that a private company is entitled to try and make) of providing those hours.

The other thing to consider is that although nurseries aren't supposed to charge top up fees, most of them do because this is the only way of recouping the cost of providing those hours (that's the cost, not any profit). The local authorities on the whole do not police the issue because they know that nurseries are not adequately ebing reimbursed.

As far as the number of hours a week you get and the pattern in which you may take them, there are guidelines set but the nursery is really at liberty to dictate whether they will or won't take a specific child for the sessions you require.

Think about it - if you ran your own business would you be happy at the government telling you that you had to sell a certain amount at a loss, just because they said so?

Really the issue is to do with the local authorities massively underfunding the 'free' hours that are offered every week.

You can read more here: www.freechildcare.org.uk

hi!
can anyone help me? i am full time working parent and i need to find asap nursery for my 4 year old. we're looking for those 15 free hrs p/w. Wherever i go or ring i hear: no space... is Westminster really offer help for working people????

Any nursery with an Ofsted reprot shodul be eligible for EY funding. However you may be right ion thinking many are full already, you often have to register well in advance, even so go on a waiting lists, look at options further afield in neighbouring boroughs or perhaps a CM (who may also be allowed funded places). This isn't anything specific to Westminster by the way, more about supply and demand and you seeking a space mid year - sorry. Presumably your child will start School come September so all arrangements will have to change again.

At ds nursery they have a free hour allocation ie. if you do a half day, then 3 hour per day at the govt rate is deducted from the total bill (the hours of a half day are 8 - 12) so you still have to pay for the extra bit of the session. BUT they will only deduct 3 hours, even if you only take one session per week.

If you do a full day (8 - 3, with an hours lunch) you get a reduction of 5 hours per day, upto 15 hours per week.

However the free hours do not cover periods like luchtimes - they are generally charged, nor do they cover things like food (you have to buy the lunch at DS place, but it is a lovely cooked dinner, with lots of chocolate pudding apparently ) or extra hours which most nurseries expect you to commit to ie you buy a session.

It's really easy to claim - the Nursery School gives us the form, I sign it, complete it and return it. They claim the money and bill me for the bits not covered by the vouchers.

Good Luck.

thanks for all info! maybe you guys know if i can claim 15 hrs for my registered childminder? my son was with her from age of 10months till nearly 4, we were getting help from tax credits but now my husband (after he was made redundant-no tax credits anymore)is trying to find work so we can't afford to pay for childcare and is rather impossible to go out there and find a job when you looking after 4 year old. Even couple hrs a day would be a great help!

It depends if she is appropriately qualified and registered - maybe ask her ?

LIZS do you know what exact paper she needs? She is registered and has Ofsted number but we don't know what other qualification she has to have?thanks!!!

Sorry I don't know exactly what accreditation is required - perhaps ask in the Childminder section ?

I'll try that. thank you!!