another funding quandary (sp)

[ClareVoiant]

ds will be 3 in a couple of weeks so will be funded from January.

As i understand it he will be entitled to 5 x 2.5hr sessions a week for 38 weeks? can someone confirm whether this is time or a fixed amount?

currently ds goes to cm 5 mornings a week, and has just started pre-school on 2 of those mornings (as cm's dd has a free place now).

consequently we are paying for preschool fees and cm fees. was hoping that when he started pre-school we would save some money, but no, as we have to pay cm in the event she made need to collect him in an emergency, fair enough. I understand why, its just annoying.

so, what I'd like some help with is trying to reduce our costs in Jan when ds place is funded. obviously we wont be paying the pre-school fees, but we will still be paying the same in childcare fees as we were before he started pre-school iyswim.

I was wondering if I could take ds to a nursery 1 morning all year round and still get funding for that. so ds goes to cm mon tues, nursery wed, cm thurs fri, with the cm taking him and her dd to preschool on tues/thurs.

would this work and would be able to get funding for his nursery place?

sorry its so long.

yes it should be possible as long as you arent claiming for more than your sessions. it would just be wed am at nursery? think you have to sign something saying only claiming what you are entitled to but should be ok i would think. i dont use all of ours as she goes for 3 hours 3 times a week to pre-school an though dont use for 2 days still having to pay for the extra 30 mins 3 times a week. v v annoying.

so the way i have worked this out in my head is.

5 sessions x 38 weeks = 190 sessions.
ds does 2 sessions at pre-school
2 x 38 = 76 sessions

190 - 76 = 114 sessions.

1 morning at nursery would = 2 sessions (5hrs)

so 52 x 2 = 104 sessions.

does this make sense to anyone, or is it not allowed?

thanks nowwearefour. why would you still have to pay for the extra 30mins if you are not using all your sessions?

and does that mean that ds couldnt do a 5hr session at nursery and be funded?

That does mean that I'm afraid - you can use one morning and one afternoon on the same day but you can't put two sessions together to make a long morning. I had to pay towards my DD's childcare once she was funded, even though she only went 3 mornings a week.

so he could go for the day to nursery on a wednesday, say and 5 hours would be funded? so we would pay for 3 hours?

Yes, you can do that.

hmm.... thanks boogeek, that doesn't sound too bad, an extra afternoon would be really handy,especially if i can save money too :-)will make some enquiries. i have a nursery in mind, i guess it all depends if they will allow it.