The National Entitlement for Funding is offered to all children from the term after their 3rd birthday. The entitlement is currently for 15 hours per week in term time only for a maximum of 38 weeks a year. As the Early Years Centre is open 50 weeks of the year we meet this entitlement through a 'stretch offer'. The stretch offer provides a child with a maximum of 11.4 hours of funded education spread over 50 weeks. This ensures that a child is able to receive the maximum of 570 hours of funded education a year without huge increase in their fees during school holidays.
The table below shows when the entitlement will commence depending on your child's date of birth.
| Date of child's birth | Date of funding |
|---|---|
| 3rd birthday falls between 1st January and 31st March | From 1st April |
| 3rd birthday falls between 1st April and 31st August | From 1st September |
| 3rd birthday falls between 1st September and 31st December | From 1st January |
If your child attends more than one childcare setting, you can either choose to use all of your allowance at once setting, or split the funding between two. If you choose to split the funding you must let both childcare settings know.
If you have checked online and are eligible to claim the 30 hour funding, the offer provides a child with a maximum of 22.8 hours of funded education through the same 'stretch offer' over 50 weeks.
This entitlement means that:
Students who may experience difficulties in paying for childcare may be able to apply for Student Services hardship support.