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Today, we shine the spotlight on what we believe are the top 10 childcare funding schemes, available in England, for eligible children. Many also apply across the whole UK or at least have similar schemes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Some of the options are widely available, meaning easy, free funding with no need for families to jump through difficult eligibility barriers. The first two childcare funding options, for example, seem to be by far the easiest to obtain for most families. Others may suit in certain circumstances, for example if you are on benefits, studying as a student, and so on. Take a look …

The Top 10 Childcare Funding Schemes – At a Glance

Tax-free Childcare Scheme

What’s Available:
Up to £2,000 in free childcare funding is available per year, per UK child (£4,000 if the child has a disability). For children up to 11 (16 if disabled).

Eligibility:
Widely available as a parent, and partner if they have one, can each earn up to £100k per annum and still be eligible.

How Funding is Accessed:
Accessed via an online Childcare account. The parent, relative or even friend deposits 80% to fund childcare and the Government tops up the remaining 20%, free.

Click here for more information.

“15 Hours” of Free Childcare for 3 & 4-Year-Olds

What’s Available:
15 hours per week of free childcare is available for 38 weeks of the year (570 hours total) for all 3 & 4-year-olds living in England. Can be spread out in a different way if the childcare setting is flexible.

Eligibility:
Available for all children aged 3 or 4 living in England.

How Funding is Accessed:
Contact your childcare provider or apply via your local council.

Click here for more information.

“30 Hours” of Free Childcare for 3 & 4-Year-Olds

What’s Available:
30 hours per week of free childcare is available for 38 weeks of the year (1140 hours total) for eligible 3 & 4-year-olds living in England. Can be spread out in a different way if the childcare setting is flexible.

Eligibility:
Eligibility depends upon household income; generally speaking, you cannot claim if you or your partner earn £100k or over, or less than £152 per week (that figure is lower if under 23). You can usually claim through this scheme at the same time as claiming Tax-Free Childcare (or Childcare vouchers), or free childcare via Universal Credit. Other rules and exceptions apply.

How Funding is Accessed:
Apply online here.

Click here for more information.

“15 Hours” of Free Childcare for 2-Year-Olds

What’s Available:
15 hours per week of free childcare is available for 38 weeks of the year (570 hours total) for eligible 2-year-olds in England. Can be spread out in a different way if the childcare setting is flexible.

Eligibility:
Only parents receiving certain Government benefits are usually eligible to claim. Exceptions include 2-year-olds if: looked after by local authorities; subject to an ECH plan; in receipt of Disability Living Allowance; they’ve left care under certain types of order. Some non-UK citizens are also eligible in certain circumstances.

How Funding is Accessed:
Contact your childcare provider or apply via your local council.

Click here for more information.

STOP PRESS: See our later article about new childcare funding announced in the Spring Budget 2023, including funding for babies as young as 9 months of age.

Childcare Vouchers (Employer-Supported Childcare)

What’s Available:
Funding for childcare is available through participating employers, for children up to 15 or 16 if disabled. You can use up to £55 per week of your earnings, which will not be subject to National Insurance or income tax. How much you are eligible for depends on earnings and the date you joined the scheme.

Eligibility:
Closed to new applicants but still available to those enrolled before 4 October 2018 if eligible. Cannot be claimed at the same time as Tax-Free Childcare.

How Funding is Accessed:
Accessed via participating employers. Can be funded through a salary sacrifice approach.

Click here for more information.

Tax Credits for Childcare

What’s Available:
If eligible, those already claiming under the Tax Credits system can claim back up to 70% of eligible childcare costs, up to £122.50 each week for 1 child, or up to £210 per week for more than one.

Eligibility:
Closed to new applicants but existing claimants of Tax Credits may still apply. New claimants must claim instead under Universal Credit (see below).

How Funding is Accessed:
For those who are still eligible to claim, the funding is paid direct to their bank or building society account. Follow the link below for more details.

Click here for more information.

Childcare Funding through Universal Credit

What’s Available:
If eligible, you can claim back up to 85% of childcare costs, up to £646.35* per month for one child or £1108.04* each month if you are claiming for more than one.

Eligibility:
You and your partner, if you have one, must have a child under 17, be working and claiming Universal Credit. There are exceptions to the above and other eligibility terms also apply. Not available if you’re already claiming Tax-Free Childcare or Tax Credits. Earnings and savings/investments also affect how much you may receive.

How Funding is Accessed:
You need to claim back* your childcare costs (so pay for them first). You can only go back 3 months, so must keep on top of your claims.

Click here for more information.

* STOP PRESS: See our later article about new childcare funding announced in the Spring Budget 2023, including vastly improved funding through Universal Credit.

Student Childcare Grant

What’s Available:
Up to 85% of your childcare costs are available as a non-repayable grant (max. is £183.75 per week for 1 child or £315.03 per week for two+. Correct for academic year 2022/23). Payable in addition to standard undergraduate student finance.

Eligibility:
Students must be permanent residents in England, studying full-time in higher education and be eligible for undergraduate student finance based on income. They must not in receipt of a postgraduate loan. The childcare grant is for dependent children under 15 (under 17 if they have special needs). Not available if also claiming certain other childcare funding.

How Funding is Accessed:
Apply at the same time as applying for student finance via your Student Finance Account.

Click here for more information.

Learner Support Scheme

What’s Available:
What’s available depends on your specific circumstances. It’s not designed specifically to fund childcare, but can be used for it.

Eligibility:
You must be a a parent over 20, studying in further education up to and including Level 3, and facing financial hardship to be eligible.

How Funding is Accessed:
Apply via your learning provider (e.g. college).

Click here for more information.

Care to Learn Scheme

What’s Available:
Up to £160 (or £175 if living in London) is available per child, per week, for those living in England. The funding can even help to fund a taster period of up to 5 days at the childcare provider and travel to/from the provider.

Eligibility:
You must be the child’s main carer and be under 20 when you begin your course. You must be studying on a publicly-funded course (N.B. not including higher education courses at university) at specific types of education provider e.g. schools, sixth forms and some colleges. Strict rules apply around attendance of both the course and the childcare sessions.

How Funding is Accessed:
For application instructions, click here.

Click here for more information.

Funded Childcare at Leaps & Bounds Nursery & Preschool, Edgbaston, Birmingham

Our Edgbaston nursery & preschool supports all valid childcare funding options

We support all relevant childcare funding schemes for eligible families at Leaps & Bounds nursery and preschool in Edgbaston (B16). We offer the very best weekday childcare in Edgbaston, near Birmingham, Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood and Smethwick. Please get in touch using one of the options below, for example to get started with your childcare enquiry or application. We’ll be happy to show you around, answer questions and help with your funding and nursery/preschool application.

^{E&OE. Please note that information is given in good faith and, to our knowledge, is correct at time of writing (November 2022). This is only a quick guide, though, so families will need to do their own. more detailed research to check for eligibility etc.}

30 November 2022/by Mark

Perhaps you have heard of Tax-Free Childcare or you may have recently read news headlines about families missing out on £2,000 in free childcare each year. The two are linked and, indeed, over a million families do miss out each year, despite being eligible for this free childcare funding. So, what exactly is Tax-Free Childcare, are you eligible to receive it and, if so, how do you go about claiming it? Today, we answer all such questions in our “Quick Guide to Tax-Free Childcare”. Take a look and you may find that your family is eligible to claim as much as £2,000 towards childcare costs each year — even more if your child is disabled.

What Exactly is Tax-Free Childcare?

Put simply, Tax-Free Childcare is a scheme that results in the Government paying as much as 20% towards your childcare costs (or as much as 40% if the child is disabled).

Example

Let’s say that your childcare fees this quarter are £2,500. Under the Tax-Free Childcare scheme, you would only pay £2,000 and the Government would chip in £500 to make up the difference. (For those with a disabled child, the family would pay just £1,500 and the Government £1,000). It’s virtually as simple as that for those who are eligible and who have correctly set up what’s known as a Childcare Account with the Government (more about that later).

Are You Eligible for Tax-Free Childcare?

In order to be eligible to claim under the Tax-Free Childcare scheme, a few rules apply …

You must be a working UK family (whether employed or self-employed).
You (as the parent) and your partner, if you have one, must be at least 16 years of age.
The child for whom you are claiming must be no older than 11, or no older than 16 if they’re disabled.
You must not be in receipt of Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Universal Credit, a childcare bursary or grant, nor be using Childcare Vouchers.
You and your partner, if you have one, each expect to earn at least £152 per week on average over the next 3 months (the equivalent of working 16 hours a week on the National Minimum Wage (NMW) or National Living Wage (NLW), which are both £9.50 per hour for the year starting 1st April 2022).
Neither you nor your partner, if you have one, are expected to individually earn £100k or more.
The child for whom you are making the claim must usually be living with you.
Adopted children are eligible too (however, fostered children are not).

There are a few potential exceptions to the above rules. You may still be eligible to claim Tax-Free Childcare if, for example, you or your partner:

are on maternity, paternity or adoption leave (but are not claiming Tax-Free Childcare funding for the child you are on leave for);
are disabled and not therefore able to work;
are officially responsible for caring for another individual.

Without getting into too much detail in this quick guide, there are a few additional exceptions and rules around eligibility for a small number of specific scenarios. For example, perhaps you are not working, so might not otherwise have been eligible, but expect to begin working within the next 31 days. In that case, you may still be eligible to apply. Your immigration/citizenship status may also affect eligibility.

How Much Does the Government Pay?

The Government contributes up to £2k in Tax-Free Childcare per eligible child per year, or up to £4k per year per child if they are disabled. That equates to a Government contribution of £500 or £1000 maximum per quarter respectively.

You don’t directly receive the Government’s contribution yourself; it is paid direct to the childcare provider, who must be registered with the scheme. Providers must also be registered with the Early Years Register, Ofsted or with the Childcare Register in order to be eligible. So long as they are registered as above, they can be nurseries, pre-schools, childminders, nannies, breakfast clubs, after school clubs or even play schemes and summer camps. Leaps and Bounds Day Nursery is registered with Ofsted and with the Tax-Free Childcare scheme, so is an eligible childcare provider under the scheme.

How Do You Claim Tax-Free Childcare?

In order to claim the Tax-Free Childcare contributions, you will first need to open a Childcare Account on the Government website. You can begin your Tax-Free Childcare application here and your application need take no longer than about 20 minutes or so to complete, particularly if you have the right information to hand (follow the link for details). You’ll usually find out right away if you’re eligible.

Added Bonus: An added bonus when opening an account is that you can claim for 30 hours of free childcare for 3-4-year-olds, if eligible, at the same time as claiming for your Tax-Free Childcare. That’s a lovely bonus if you happen to have a child of that age and they are eligible for that childcare funding scheme too.

What Happens Once You Have a Childcare Account?

Once you have successfully set up a Childcare Account, you will need to make your own contributions into the account before the Government will make theirs. How much you pay in – and how often – is up to you. However, you will probably want to plan this carefully so that what you pay is affordable whilst also attracting the maximum possible Government contributions.

TIP 1: Others can make payments into the account, not just you. So, for example, the child’s grandparents may want to chip in so that the burden on your finances is reduced.
TIP 2: Making your payments by Bank Transfer may speed up payment of the Government’s contributions, according to some.
TIP 3: If your circumstances change after you’ve paid unused amounts into your Childcare Account, you can withdraw it if its not going to be used/needed for childcare services. It goes without saying, though, that the Government’s corresponding contributions cannot be withdrawn and will be returned to them if you withdraw your element.

How is the Childcare Provider Paid?

Once cleared, the childcare provider will be able to call off their fees, as appropriate, from the account. The funds, however, cannot be used for anything other than childcare costs with the approved provider(s).

You will need to re-affirm your details each quarter in order to confirm that you are still eligible. You will usually receive emailed reminders about the need for this.

Funded Childcare Options at our Edgbaston Nursery near Birmingham

Our Edgbaston nursery & pre-school supports free childcare funding schemes & childcare vouchers.

Our exceptional nursery and pre-school in Edgbaston, Birmingham. supports free childcare places and childcare funding for those who are eligible under the Government schemes. That includes valid/recognised childcare vouchers, free childcare for eligible 2-year-olds, free childcare for 3 & 4-year-olds, student childcare grants and, of course, Tax-Free Childcare. As well as being close to Birmingham, we’re also very near to Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood and Smethwick, so would be conveniently located if you live or work in those locations.

Register for a nursery place for your child at Leaps & Bounds Nursery, book a guided visit with your little one or ask us any questions and we’ll be happy to help:

^{Information correct at time of writing (October 2022).}

31 October 2022/by Mark

1 year olds, 2 year olds, 3 & 4 year olds, 5 year olds, Birmingham, Childcare, Early years, Early Years Education, Edgbaston, Learning & Development, Nurseries, Nursery, Pre-school, Pre-schools, Preschoolers, Toddlers, Under-5s

How to Prepare Children For Nursery & Pre-school

Starting at nursery or pre-school is a big step for little ones. Having been surrounded mainly by close family in a familiar and comforting home environment, they’re suddenly expected to settle in somewhere completely alien, surrounded by strangers. It would be a tall order for anyone, let alone a toddler or preschooler. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Here are some easy steps that parents or carers can take to make the move to nursery/pre-school plain sailing for little ones.

Bring Them for a Visit and/or Settling-in Session

Once you’ve identified the most likely nursery or pre-school contender(s) for your child, take them for a visit. At Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery in Edgbaston, for example, we’ll be happy to show both adults and their little ones around the setting — more than once if it helps. By doing so, children can meet the childcare professionals that will look after them before they actually start. They can even sit in on some of the activities, perhaps. Such visits, and any additional ‘settling-in’ sessions, allow children to get to know the staff, familiarise themselves with the layout of the setting and locate exactly where toys and equipment of interest can be found. They also allow new children to get to know other little ones who are likely to be in their peer group. Therefore later, once they start nursery/pre-school properly, they will see familiar faces and equipment and will be able to hit the ground running.

Talk About It

Talking about soon starting nursery/pre-school is a great way to get toddlers and preschoolers used to the idea. Even better is discussing all the exciting things that they’ll be able to do once there. For example, making new friends, being creative, playing with new toys, resources and equipment, learning new skills, taking part in extra-curricular activities, learning about nature, outdoor visits and so on. Getting them excited about the opportunities that nurseries and pre-schools represent is key. It also, of course, helps little ones understand what to expect so that they’re mentally prepared when the time comes.

Listen

It’s equally important, if not more so, to listen to any questions or misgivings that your child may have about starting a nursery/pre-school. Answer questions, of course, but also reassure them when doing so. After all, questions may be a little signal that they’re anxious. Carefully crafted answers and reassurance are great ways to allay any concerns that they may have, before they become more deeply set.

We should also add that it’s important not to ‘reflect’ any concerns that you have onto your child. So, be careful what is said within hearing range of your child. The staff at Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery will always be happy to discuss any concerns you or your child have, of course — we’re here for you all, after all.

Find a Friend

You could also ask around to see if your child already knows, or plays with, another child that will start at the childcare setting at the same time as them. As we mentioned above, having a familiar friend there from day one will really help them to settle in and not feel alone.

Nurture Their Independence

Nurturing independence before under-fives start nursery/pre-school is also a great way to help them be better prepared. If they can go to the loo independently, wash their hands, fasten their own shoes, learn to tidy up for themselves, pack their own bag and so on, it’ll greatly help them once they’re without you at nursery or pre-school. Even speaking, communicating and following instructions as well as possible — before starting — will help them to be more confident and more relaxed on arrival. All of this needs to be encouraged well before they start if it’s to be fully effective.

Teach Them a Routine!

Another thing that needs to be done in advance of the start date is getting them used to appropriate bed, waking up and breakfast times. Specifically, the goal is to ensure their body clocks have fully adjusted to be in tune with their day once they start at the childcare setting. If this is achieved, they’re far more likely to feel energised rather than over-tired during their nursery day.

On Day 1

Before long, the first day of nursery will arrive. There are a few things that you can do to help your child on the day:

Ensure their clothes and backpack are ready beforehand, so that’s one less thing to worry about on the day. Perhaps even sneak your child’s favourite soft toy or comforter into the pack, so they have ‘company’ on the day.
Don’t be late. That’s important. So, ensure you are all up early enough so that getting ready for the first day of nursery is not ‘panic stations’. It needs to be relaxed, stress-free and fuss-free for your child.
Focus on how exciting it’s going to be for your child. Your enthusiasm will help to allay any trepidation they may be feeling.
Hide any anxiety you may be feeling yourself and stay positive otherwise your child may pick up on your feelings themselves. That’s also important in the moment that you drop them off and say goodbye.
Remind your child what time you’ll be picking them up, so they feel reassured.

Chances are, though, they may well fly through that entrance gate, without so much as a glance or a wave, and can’t wait to disappear for a day of fun!

On arrival, our childcare professionals will will put children’s minds at rest immediately as they welcome them into the nursery. We’ll make sure they feel safe, relaxed and cared for and will ensure they have a wonderful first day at nursery/pre-school.

Our Edgbaston Nursery & Pre-School is near Birmingham, Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood & Smethwick

We are a good nursery and pre-school in Edgbaston, Birmingham (B16), so are also conveniently located if you require childcare services near Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood or Smethwick. If you’re looking for high quality childcare for under-fives in these areas, please get in touch — we can help. We’re also a Birmingham Forest School, giving children access to outdoor experiences and adventure that teach them about the natural world — and also about themselves. We have an incredible mix of learning and development opportunities at Leaps & Bounds, so why not come along for a visit with your little one. We’ll show you both around and will be happy to answer any questions …

20 January 2022/by Mark

Babies, Birmingham, Breastfeeding, Childcare, Edgbaston, Preschool

The Benefits of Breastfeeding for Mum & Baby

“Breast milk is nature’s perfect baby food. It contains immunity-boosting antibodies and healthy enzymes that scientists have yet to replicate” (Parents.com)

When it comes to breastfeeding, there are multiple benefits for both mother and baby. Indeed, the list of benefits is incredibly long, as we’ll see below. For one reason or another, though, not every mother ends up breastfeeding and that’s absolutely fair enough. After all, we’re all different and it’s also a very personal issue in any case. Some mums have physiological problems with the whole thing, other mums simply don’t like the idea of it and there are many additional reasons why breastfeeding simply isn’t an option for many. That’s all a given, so this article is here as a guide just to help keep parents as informed as possible.
Breastfeeding has been shown to benefit both mother and baby, in an incredible variety of ways …

Breastfeeding benefits for babies

For babies that are breastfeed, there are many potential health benefits including a lower susceptibility to some diseases and to infections.

Breastfeeding allows antibodies to be passed on to the infant. This is especially important as a way to counter the threat of viruses.
Breast milk also contains proteins, vitamins, minerals, fats and hormones, all of which help with healthy development.
The long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids found in breast milk help young brains to develop.
Some studies suggest that infants who have been breastfed for at least 6 months are statistically less likely to develop childhood leukaemia.
When breastfed during the first 3 months, infants are also less likely to develop childhood asthma or allergic rhinitis.
Indeed, continuing to breastfeed when infants start eating solids may even protect them from developing some food allergies.
Infants who are breastfed are also less likely to develop wheezing and severe eczema.
Breast milk reduces the risk of the child developing ear infections, respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections and diarrhoea.
It can also protect infants from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (‘SADS’).
Breastfeeding also helps premature babies by reducing the risk of them developing Necrotising Enterocolitis or ‘NEC’, a potentially serious bowel disorder.
Many of breast milk’s benefits last right into adulthood.

Breastfeeding benefits for mums

Mums also benefit hugely from breastfeeding:

Breastfeeding helps to reduce the risk of obesity in mothers.
It also lowers their risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
Mothers who breastfeed are also statistically less likely to develop ovarian cancer, breast cancer, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.
Breastfeeding also helps the uterus to return to its normal size.
The periods of mothers who breastfeed return later than those of mums who don’t. This difference can be useful for family planning purposes.
Breastfeeding is a perfect way for new mums and babies to form a close bond, naturally.

Practical benefits of breastfeeding

As the most natural food for newborns, babies tend to simply enjoy the taste of breast milk, almost without exception.
Breastfeeding requires no preparation and so feeding can take place virtually anywhere, any time.
Breast milk is free, so saves families money at what can be an expensive time.
Unlike formula milk, the taste and make-up of breast milk naturally changes as time goes by. For this reason, breast milk naturally encourages babies to enjoy a variety of tastes, which in turn helps when it comes to weaning them onto solids.
Breast milk is perfectly tailored to your baby and adapts to suit them as they grow. That’s incredible when you think about it.
Breastfeeding is a natural way for your baby to feed no more and no less than he or she really needs to. That’s perhaps the most natural way to regulate food intake.
As a totally natural and sustainable food source, breastfeeding is also incredibly ‘green’. Indeed, World Breastfeeding Week (‘WBW’) earlier this August saw that 2020’s theme was “Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet”. WBW 2020 focussed on the impact of feeding on the environment and climate change, showing breastfeeding to be incredibly healthy for both people and planet.

More information about the benefits of, and myths around, breastfeeding is available at the NHS site.

Baby feeding at Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery

At Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery in Edgbaston, parents have the choice of supplying either formula milk or breast milk. If supplying breast milk, we suggest bottles should be supplied in a suitable cool bag with their child’s name clearly identified. If supplying formula milk, they need not make the milk up; supplying the formula powder is fine and nursery staff will then freshly make up bottles of milk at the appropriate feeding times. Leaps & Bounds is also a breastfeeding-friendly zone — we are always happy to accommodate nursing mums and can arrange a private space for them to breastfeed their child whenever needed.

Nursery places near Birmingham, Edgbaston, Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood & Smethwick

Are you looking for childcare for your baby or under-five child in and around Edgbaston, Birmingham, Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood or Smethwick? Leaps & Bounds is an outstanding nursery and pre-school offering high quality childcare in Edgbaston, Birmingham. At time of writing, we have places available, so do get in touch if you’d like to learn more about the nursery and its suitability for your child. Call 0121 246 4922 or contact us/arrange a visit here. We’ll be delighted to tell you more and to show you around very soon.

19 August 2020/by Mark

Tag Archive for: Smethwick

The Top 10 Childcare Funding Schemes – At a Glance

Funded Childcare at Leaps & Bounds Nursery & Preschool, Edgbaston, Birmingham

Our Edgbaston nursery & preschool supports all valid childcare funding options

What Exactly is Tax-Free Childcare?

Are You Eligible for Tax-Free Childcare?

How Much Does the Government Pay?

How Do You Claim Tax-Free Childcare?

What Happens Once You Have a Childcare Account?

How is the Childcare Provider Paid?

Funded Childcare Options at our Edgbaston Nursery near Birmingham

Our Edgbaston nursery & pre-school supports free childcare funding schemes & childcare vouchers.

Bring Them for a Visit and/or Settling-in Session

Talk About It

Listen

Find a Friend

Nurture Their Independence

Teach Them a Routine!

On Day 1

Our Edgbaston Nursery & Pre-School is near Birmingham, Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood & Smethwick

Breastfeeding benefits for babies

Breastfeeding benefits for mums

Practical benefits of breastfeeding

Baby feeding at Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery

Nursery places near Birmingham, Edgbaston, Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood & Smethwick

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