Childcare support for children under five
Find out about different ways to get childcare support, and information about the types of funding.
Funded childcare
You can find information about the government schemes that might be available to you and your family on the Best Start in Life website.
For all childcare support funding you can start using your entitlements from the term after your child turns the relevant age. For the 30 hour working parent entitlement this is the term after your child turns 9 months old until they reach school age.
Select a scheme to find out more about it, who qualifies and how to apply.
How to find out if a childcare provider offers funded childcare
Most Ofsted registered childcare providers in Brighton & Hove offer funded childcare. You can search for Ofsted registered childcare providers that offer places on the Childcare Directory.
Funded childcare support cannot be backdated, so you will lose any of the hours that you do not use. If your chosen provider has a waiting list, or is unable to offer you a place, you can contact Best Start Family Hubs who can help you to find another childcare provider.
Questions to ask potential childcare providers about funding
You need to make sure you understand whether your place is completely funded or if you will be charged for additional hours or services. Ask the childcare provider to put this in writing so that you have a record to keep. You should also ask to see a copy of the early years provider’s terms and conditions.
If you already pay for your child to attend childcare, the days and times the funded childcare support sessions are offered may be different.
You should also consider:
- how the setting offers funded childcare support sessions for your child
- whether you want your child to attend 15 or 30 hours a week during term time only, or whether you want to spread your hours across the year
How the funded place will be offered
There are limits set by the government about how the funded place can be offered:
- no session can be longer than 10 hours
- sessions must not start before 6am or finish after 8pm
- a maximum of two single sites in one day
You should discuss with each provider how they will spread the hours over the week. Some offer specific packages but others may be more flexible.
See the below different scenarios for more specific advice.
If you want more or fewer funded childcare hours over the year
You do not have to take any of the funded childcare support hours if you don’t want to, or you can take fewer hours if you wish.
If you need additional hours, you will have to pay for them. Help towards the cost is available, if you are eligible, through Universal Credit. Alternatively, you may be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare.
Childcare providers will offer funded childcare support places in different ways. You may not necessarily be able to get all your hours with one provider.
For example, some providers are open term time only or will chose not to offer funded places over holidays.
If you want to split funded childcare support hours between more than one provider
You can split your hours between a maximum of 2 providers per day, as long as you don’t exceed your entitlement of 570 or 1,140 hours per year.
Some providers will give priority to children who want to take up their full entitlement with that provider.
If you want to use more than one type of childcare support
Best Start in Life can advise you of the types of support that are available to you and which you can combine.
For example, you can also apply for Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit childcare. You may be able to use these other forms of support to help pay for childcare that is not covered through the entitlements - you can use them to help pay for any additional hours, or to pay for a nanny if your nanny has registered on the Voluntary part of the General Childcare Register.
They can also be used to pay for certain additional services that are charged by your provider.
What you may have to pay for on top of your funded childcare
You can ask providers for your funded childcare support hours only. Childcare providers may offer them at certain times of the day or week.
You may have to pay a small deposit which will be refunded when your child starts.
Providers can charge for food, consumables and activities such as:
- meals and snacks
- nappies
- suncream
- trips
Families must be given an alternative to purchasing these extras if they only want their funded childcare support hours.
Childcare providers can decide their own charges for paid sessions and consumables, and sessions which include some funded hours, but these should be published on their website if they have one.
Your childcare provider should give you information about charges and these should be clearly set out on your invoice.
If you are having difficulty finding a childcare provider that can offer you just your funded hours, contact the Best Start Family Hubs team.
Your childcare invoice
You should clarify any additional charges they may include in your bill.
If you have any queries about your invoice, speak to your childcare provider in the first instance. They should explain how the charges have been worked out and how they are charging you for any extra hours, consumables or services. Keep a note of any discussions that you have and if you still feel the situation is unresolved, contact Best Start Family Hubs.
Leaving a childcare provider and ending support
Leaving a childcare provider
If you want to leave your childcare provider, they may require you to give a notice period. The notice period for any sessions which include funded childcare support, will be in the contract with your provider, and should not exceed one month.
When childcare support ends
Most childcare schemes stop when children start school. Children start in reception class in the September after their fourth birthday.
For more information about applying for school and school start dates, contact the School Admissions team.