Policy Statement:
At Blossoming Buddies we aim to make the setting accessible to children and families from all sections of the local community through open, fair and clearly communicated procedures.
Early education and childcare funded entitlement at Blossoming Buddies:
Universal government’s funded early education and childcare entitlement:
Blossoming Buddies offers the government’s funded early education and childcare entitlement. The scheme offers 15 hours a week childcare (Term time only-over 38 weeks) to eligible children, for 9-24 months, two-year-olds, and three- and four-year-olds. We also offer the extended 30 hour funding for eligible 3-4 year olds.
Children aged 9 – 24 months:
From 1 September 2024 onwards parents can get an expanded funded place for 15 hours a week for their 9 – 24-month-old if they are working. The parent, and any partner, must each expect to earn (on average) at least £167 per week (or equal to 16 hours at the National Minimum or Living Wage). Parents can find out more and Apply for free childcare if you’re working – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Children can take-up the 9 month funding at the start of the funding period following their 9th month. (Term after they are 9 months)
Your child turns 9 months::
• 1st April – 31 August then funding starts in the Autumn period from September.
• 1st September – 31 December then funding starts in the Spring period from January 1st
• January – 31 March the funding starts in the Summer period from April
A strict time limit applies to be able to register for this service. If you do not apply for the 9 month funded hours by the deadlines below Blossoming Buddies will not be able to offer the funded hours until the next funding period. The cut off dates are:
• Autumn period 31 August
• Spring period 31 December
• Summer period 31 March
Additional hours:
• If your contract is for more hours than the funded 15 hours, the funded hours will be the first part of your contracted hours, additional contacted hours will be charged in line with Blossoming Buddies daily rate.
2-Year-Old Children:
There are two ways parents can apply for 2-Year-Old funding.
- Parents can get a funded place for 15 hours a week for their 2-year-old if they receive some additional forms of financial support from the Government and their household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax. Parents can check the eligibility criteria for more details. Parents can check the eligibility criteria for free early education and childcare for 2 year olds to see if they are eligible for a free 15 hour place for your 2 year old child. Parents can make an application on the Southend Citizen’s Portal to confirm eligibility for 2 year old funding for your child, and get an approved application number.
- From 1 April 2024 onwards parents can also get an expanded funded place for 15 hours a week for their 2-year-old if they are working. The parent, and any partner, must each expect to earn (on average) at least £167 per week (equal to 16 hours at the National Minimum or Living Wage). Parents can find out more and Apply for free childcare if you’re working – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) to get a code for free childcare to give to your childcare provider.
Children can take-up the 2 year funding at the start of the funding period following their 2nd birthday. (Term after their second birthday)
Your child’s birthday date:
• 1st April – 31 August then funding starts in the Autumn period from September.
• 1st September – 31 December then funding starts in the Spring period from January 1st
• January – 31 March then funding starts in the Summer period from April
A strict time limit applies to be able to register for this service. If you do not apply for the 2 year funded hours by the deadlines below Blossoming Buddies will not be able to offer the funded hours until the next funding period. The cut off dates are:
• Autumn period 31 August
• Spring period 31 December
• Summer period 31 March
Additional hours:
If your contract is for more hours than the funded 15 hours, the funded hours will be the first part of your contracted hours, additional contacted hours will be charged in line with Blossoming Buddies daily rate.
3- and 4-Year Olds:
• All families in England with 3 and 4-year-old children can get Universal funding (up to 15 hours a week) of funded childcare or early education for 38 weeks.
• Working families in England with 3 and 4-year-old children can get extended funding (up to 30 hours a week) of funded early education. It is your responsibility to confirm your eligibility for 30 hours free childcare every three months. Full details around how 30 hours funding is applied for, and the timescales, cut off dates that are applied to claims can be found online. www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Children can take-up universal and extended funding at the start of the funding period following their third birthday. (Term after their 3rd Birthday)
Your child’s birthday date:
• 1st April – 31 August then funding starts in the Autumn period from September.
• 1st September – 31 December then funding starts in the Spring period from January 1st
• January – 31 March then funding starts in the Summer period from April.
Additional hours:
If your contract is for more hours than the universal 15 hours funding and you are not entitled to the additional 15 hours extended funded hours, the funded hours will be the first part of your contracted hours, additional contacted hours will be charged in line with Blossoming Buddies daily rate.
Extended government’s funded early education and childcare entitlement (for 3 and 4 year olds):
In addition, Blossoming Buddies offers the government’s extended funded early education childcare entitlement. This scheme offers 30 hours per week childcare (Term time only-over 38 weeks) available for qualifying three- and four-year-olds with working parents who meet the government’s eligibility criteria.
Eligibility is only valid for approximately 3 months. It is the parents’ responsibility to check if they are still eligible for the 30 hours free childcare. If a parent fails to reapply for the extended 15 hours and/or not within the Local Authorities deadline loses the funding, the parents will be liable to pay for the additional hours at Blossoming Buddies current hourly rate (£6 per hour).
A strict time limit applies to be able to register for this service. If you do not apply for extended hours by the deadlines below Blossoming Buddies will not be able to offer extended free hours until the next funding period. The cut off dates are:
• Autumn period 31 August
• Spring period 31 December
• Summer period 31 March
If parents wish to increase the number of funded hours their child is accessing after the headcount date, Blossoming Buddies will charge for these additional sessions. The parent will be able to claim for any increased hours from the start of the next funding period, provided they meet all entitlement criteria.
If your contract is for more hours than the extended 30 hours funding, funded hours will be the first part of your contracted hours, additional contacted hours will be charged in line with Blossoming Buddies daily rate.
TERM TIME:
Funded hours are term time only (38 weeks of the year). If you require childcare outside of term time this will be charged at Blossoming Buddies daily rate.
Term time is as dictated by the Local Authority and the dates can be found here:
http://www.southend.gov.uk/info/200175/schools_colleges_and_the_university_of_essex/51/term_dates
Please visit https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk to understand your options and which funding opportunities would best suit your family circumstances.
What to expect:
• Blossoming Buddies will be claiming funding from the Local Authority, having seen evidence to verify your child’s date of birth at the initial meeting. As part of the registration process, you will be required to provide documentation to evidence your child’s date of birth. This is to confirm they have reached the eligible age for the free entitlements. A copy of the document will be retained. This will be stored securely and destroyed when there is no longer a good reason to keep the data, in accordance with GDPR or General Data Protection Regulations.
• Parents will be required to fully complete a Parent Declaration Form, which you must also sign, in order for Blossoming Buddies to claim any funding.
• Funded hours are free provision and do not have any monetary value for parents.
• The funded early education and childcare entitlement is intended for high quality early education. The Government funding is not intended to cover the cost of meals, other consumables, additional hours or additional services.
Blossoming buddies DOES charge a setting fee part of the funded entitlement delivery.
Funded hours are to be used between 7.00am-5.00pm term time only
If you experience difficulties meeting the cost of these additional services please come and speak to the managers.
Payment must be in our account before 8.30am on the date due as indicated in your invoice.
If you are late with your invoice payment we will automatically charged £10 per day.
Blossoming Buddies are entitled to suspend the care of your child until the amount due has been paid in full and/or terminate your contract.
If you wish to split the funding between Blossoming Buddies and another accredited setting, please let us know before a new term starts, so we can complete the necessary paperwork.
As funding is paid termly, it is important that you claim for the correct number of funded hours at the beginning of each term. If you do not claim for your full entitlement, it is not possible to increase your funding once the term has begun. It is possible to increase your hours and you will be liable for the cost of these hours until the following term when you can claim your additional funding. Any unclaimed funding cannot be used at a later date.
Children will not be funded if they move settings during the funding period except for exceptional circumstances which must be agreed by SBC Head of Early Years.
If your child misses their funded hours due to sickness; your holiday or occasional days off, Blossoming Buddies is not required to provide alternative sessions.
I am required to monitor your child’s attendance and inform SBC if attendance falls below 90%. The funding is provided by the Government and if your child consistently fails to attend, their funding may be withdrawn.
It is your responsibility to inform Tax Credits of the change in your childcare costs.
Blossoming Buddies is registered with tax free childcare choices.
Opening hours: All year round
Monday-Friday 7.00am-5.00pm
Late collection: If you are late collecting you child there will be an additional charge of £10 per half an hour.
Delivery of funded hours:
Funded hours can be used between 7.00am-5.00pm. Term time only
Blossoming buddies DOES charge a setting fee as part of the funded entitlement delivery. The setting fee is £2 per funded hour.
Holidays and attendance: If parents take their child out during funded hours Blossoming Buddies is not required to provide alternative sessions. Full fee will be charged for child’s absence due to holiday or sickness.
Blossoming Buddies is not open on Bank Holidays and will not charge for these days.
Arrangements for setting closure: including sickness and emergencies but NOT including forced Government closure, the funded childcare hours lost will be transferrable to an alternative date if possible to be discussed and agreed with the manager.
Attendance levels: At Blossoming Buddies we are required to monitor your child’s attendance and inform the Local Authority if the attendance falls below 90%. Please inform us of any reason your child is unable to attend’. You must ensure your child attends the provider for the number of free hours you have requested and will inform the Provider of the reason for any absences. The Provider is entitled to terminate this Agreement if your child does not attend regularly and you do not inform the provider of the reason for absence.
Limitations on funded hours:
• Minimum of 10 hours a day for contract long day (7am-5pm)
• Minimum of 7 and a half hours a day for a contracted short day (7am-2.30pm)
Admin fee:
If your child is NEW to the setting a non-refundable admin fee of £35 is also required to process the contract and registration for all new children.
More help with childcare costs:
Childcare Choices is a government website providing:
• information about all the different types of help with childcare costs
• a link to the Government childcare-calculator that we recommend parents use to find out what schemes they are eligible for and how much they can get.
You may be eligible for other help with childcare costs, including.
• Tax Free Childcare: We are registered to accept Tax free childcare. If you qualify you can get up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare. This goes up to £1,000 every 3 months if a child is disabled (up to £4,000 a year).
• Universal Credit for childcare
• Childcare help if you are training.
Please visit: www.childcarechoices.gov.uk