2 year old funding

Childcare support for 2 year olds - working families

From April 2024, working families with a 2 year old may be entitled to 15 hours a week of free childcare .

30 hour funding not available until September 2025

For more information about funded places please follow the link below:

www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/freeearlyeducation

3 and 4 year old funding

All children can take up 15 free funded hours in the term following their third birthday.

Three and four year olds may be entitled to 30 hours of government funded childcare if:

• both their parents, or one parent in a lone parent household, are in work

• and each parent earns at least the equivalent of 16 hours work at national minimum wage and less than £100,000 per year

To check if you are eligible and apply, please follow the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-and-education-for-2-to-4-year-olds

How do I secure a 30 hour place?

These places are limited and are in high demand. We therefore suggest that you:

• Speak to the nursery staff about places and register your interest

• Apply for your eligibility code via the online eligibility checker available at: childcarechoices.gov.uk

• You can do this 16 weeks before your child's 3rd birthday, however if you currently receive tax free childcare, we advise you to call the helpline on 0300 123 4097

• Bring in the 11 digit 'eligibility code' (along with your National Insurance number and child's date of birth) so we can claim the 30 hour place. You will be asked to complete a Parent Declaration Form to enable us to process your application.

• Decide if you will need extra paid sessions e.g  Morning Club

• Please note that you will need to reconfirm your eligibility to the 30 hours free childcare before the end of each term. Failure to do this will terminate your eligibility. If your circumstances change, you may lose your eligibility but your child will retain the 30 hour place until the end of the current term (the grace period).

No 30 hour places remaining, what options do I have?

You may wish to consider shared provision whereby you accept a 15 hour morning or afternoon place at Hormead Hedgehogs and use a local child minder to provide the remaining 15 hours. You will need to provide your eligibility code to both parties.

Unfunded Fees for 2024 - 2025

Fees are for those children who, for example, require extra hours over their funded hours, are under three years old and those who are three but not yet eligible to access funding. The fees are calculated on a daily basis according to the child's age.

2 -3 year olds	£9.00 per hour
3 - 4 year olds	£6.50 per hour
School Lunch	£3.34 for a school lunch
Lunch Hour	As above according to age
Morning Club (from 7.45am)	£4.00
After School Club (till 4.30pm)	Hedgehogs only £6.00

You may request to increase sessions and can be accepted as long as there is an available place for your child. Otherwise, your child will be placed on a waiting list for those sessions.