Funding for early education for 3 and 4 year old children has changed, all families with 3 or 4 year old children are still eligible for the universal offer of free early education of up to 15 hours a week term time or a total of 570 hours taken throughout the year.
Some children will now be eligible for extended childcare, which is up to 30 hours a week term time.
The new entitlement to 30 hours free childcare is intended to support working parents with the cost of childcare and enable parents, where they wish, to return to work or to work additional hours.
Eligibility
The following eligibility criteria will apply;
- both parents must be working (or the sole parent is working in a lone parent family), and each parent earns a weekly minimum equivalent to 16 hours at national minimum wage or living wage, and less than £100,000 per year
- working will include employed and self-employed persons
- in general families where one parent does not work (or neither parent works) will not be eligible for these additional hours
- both parents are employed but one or both parents is temporarily away from the workplace on parental, maternity or paternity leave
- both parents are employed but one or both parents is temporarily away from the workplace on adoption leave
- both parents are employed but one or both parents is temporarily away from the workplace on statutory sick pay
- one parent is employed and one parent has substantial caring responsibilities based on specific benefits received for caring or one parent is employed and one parent is disabled or incapacitated based on receipt of specific benefits
At Meadowbank we can offer 30 hours free childcare to those eligible through our Breakfast Club and After School Club on the days your child attends nursery depending upon availability. For more information please contact the school office on 0161 428 6286.
You can check what help you could get with childcare costs and an indication as to your eligibility for 30 hours free childcare via the GOV.UK website.
Parents can search all Stockport childcare provision at www.stockport.gov.uk/childcare.
