3 year olds funding in private nurseries: advice needed

[2Loulou]

Does anyone know how nurseries apply the funding to the monthly bill, I haven't seen much improvement in the cost, and after a month wait the nursery seems quite reluctant to give clear information, and now being a bit defensive about it all (it's a matter between the council and the nurseries....) Anyone has a good idea how it should be worked out?

Thanks

[KatDew]

As far as I understand you are eligible for the funding from the term after their 3rd birthday the cut off dates being the 1st of April, 1st of September and 1st of January. You have to provide the child's birth certificate at some point as proof of eligibility. The funding represents 15 hours of funding for 38 weeks of the year. However most nurseries allow you to spread the funding in monthly amounts over the year.

Obviously your reduction will depend on how many days you are paying for. (ie it will be very noticeable if you are only paying 2 days a week but less so if you are paying 5days a week) From memory my nursery is claiming something like ?750? Ish pounds per term for my 3 year olds. ( I vaguely sign apiece of paper to agree to them claiming it) and they claim that three times per year.

Hope this makes some sense?

[jacqueline25]

Iresently joined the scheam for some of my minded children, you are given a date each term where you apply for funding, this term its the 15th may,if a child joins after this date you can apply until the end of that term, you get 15 free hours a week @ ?4.10 an hour. for 12/13 weeks per term, 13 week term works out to be ?799.50 OR ?61.50 per week,39 weeks per year.hope this helps.

[Saffron]

Ours discount showed up on the bill a month after our nursery applied for my daughter's Early Years grant. So credit of your funding to your bill might depend on your nursery's billing cycle.

To qualify for the full grant (15hrs), your child needs to be nursery at least 3 days per week. For children only in 2 days, I think they only get 12.5hrs.

These free hours are for "term time", which is 38 weeks. However, private nurseries can spread this over the whole year. So you receive a total of 15 hours x 38 weeks, divided by 52 weeks (if your nursery is open all year).

Ok, I hope I've explained that right because the rules seem to change all the time!

HOWEVER, the nursery must be upfront and transparent about their billing to you, otherwise they can be in breach of their contractual obligations to the council.

[2Loulou]

Thanks all

Yes they showed a saving for the wrap around care in April, my daughter turned 3 in Jan, so that is fine, however, the saving was lower than expected, for 15 hours a week, it's pretty good chunk, they are claiming it's because there are extras in the 15 hours that we still have to pay for (playtime, food etc....)I accepted that but asked for a clear breakdown of what is the funding and what are the extras, but they became evasive and ignored me for a while, then, gave me some rude emails: this is between the council and the nursery, you are getting your funding, so stop complaining! I just want to understand my invoice, they might be right, but I find the reluctance to give clear breakdown a little bit questionable!

[2Loulou]

Oh and my daughter is there the whole week from start to finish, poor thing! :(

[Saffron]

2Loulou Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Thanks all

> Yes they showed a saving for the wrap around care

> in April, my daughter turned 3 in Jan, so that is

> fine, however, the saving was lower than expected,

> for 15 hours a week, it's pretty good chunk, they

> are claiming it's because there are extras in the

> 15 hours that we still have to pay for (playtime,

> food etc....)I accepted that but asked for a clear

> breakdown of what is the funding and what are the

> extras, but they became evasive and ignored me for

> a while, then, gave me some rude emails: this is

> between the council and the nursery, you are

> getting your funding, so stop complaining! I just

> want to understand my invoice, they might be

> right, but I find the reluctance to give clear

> breakdown a little bit questionable!

Blimey that's appallingly. You should forward that email to Family Information Services and ask for advice on how to approach the nursery. If they're totally legit, they should have no problem explaing their billing.

Afterall, they're billing YOU, and claiming government funding in the name of YOUR child. Of course you have a right to know!

My daughter goes to a private nursery. DH and I initially had some confusion and contacted FIS who were extremely helpful. And when we actually spoke to our nusery, they were really nice and completely upfront about everything, explaining it all very simply.

Billing for extras on the free 15 hours sounds odd to me. Deffo get some advice from FIS. xx

[minder]

It's a bit confusing, but I don't think the nursery are allowed to charge parents for any part of the 15 hours, even if it means the nursery (or a childminder) are charging more than ?4.10 an hour for hours outside the free 15 hours.

It might be different for the 3 year olds funding but info received in December from Southwark Council for the 2 year old free 15 hour funding asks the question: Will parents be charged for the free early learning offer?

Answer is: Providers cannot charge parents for any part of the 15 hours free early learning. Providers who charge for goods or services such as registration, lunch or uniform fees cannot do so as a condition of children accessing this offer.

I would contact the Family Information Service tomorrow if I were you.

[2Loulou]

Thanks, just called and email FIS, hope they get back to me with something my little brain can comprehend.

will post update for future reference.

thanks