Advice needed for 3yr old

[standswithfist]

Im hoping someone can help me as I don't have a clue what to do. My daughter will be 3yrs old at the end of December and she currently goes to nursery 2 full days a week. As I understand it once she turns 3 years old the government gives her hours at a nursery?

How do I found out how I go about this? As I guess i would like it to be the same nursery she is in? Or do I need to contact someone at the council?

Apologies but I don't have a clue! She is my only child and I would like to be a bit prepared at least!

Thanks in advance.

M.

[BeccaL]

Can't the nursery advise you on this? might be worth asking the manager...

[nunheadmum]

Definitely ask at your current nursery first - most would be prepared to do the paperwork, I'd think. (In fact, I think it has to be done by the nursery, not you.) They may well be expecting to simply do it automatically - I know ours does. Make sure you check with them when it would kick in as it starts according to some concept of 'term' dates (not sure if it's the same as school ones) so e.g. my daughter's birthday was mid June so she missed the summer 'term' which started before her birthday and therefore the grant didn't start till September and we had to pay full fees until then.

If the current nursery doesn't deal with the scheme (e.g. their terms don't comply for some reason), then you probably need to shop around for a new nursery, making sure that they are able to deal with the free hours.

[stardust]

She should be entitled to 15 hours, (i think), free a week during term time. In a private nursery, they spread this out over the whole year, so you receive the discount all year round including holidays. It should start the term after her 3rd birthday, so if she was born in May, it will start in September. The nursery should do it automatically, but best to ask the manager how they do it, and confirm that they follow this, (I don't think all private nurseries do). You can transfer her into a school nursery, but you have to apply at certain times of year and it will only be for a certain number of hours a day, (depends on the school). First step would be to ask your current nursery how they go about doing it.

Hope that helps