Childcare business grant query

[wee_elf]

Hi everyone.

I am just in the process of applying for the childcare business grant as I have now officially registered woohooo!!! However I noticed there is a higher amount of the grant if you care for disabled children.
I don't have any disabled children at the moment, however this is what my background is based around and I would be happy to support a child with additional needs in the future. Should I apply for this to allow me to purchase equipment and update my training on the basis that I may care for a child with a disability in the near future?
There is not a lot of guidance on this :rolleyes:

Thank you in advance x

[Karen1]

Hi

I was in same boat and decided to go for the higher grant, and did get it. I kept a proportion back to spend on disability toys.

Please keep all your receipts though, as if was picked for a random audit and had to provide all receipts on what I had bought.

At the time I didn't have a sen child with me, so wrote that I hadn't spent all the money until I knew what any child I would have would need. All fine.

Hope that helps.

[hectors house]

Is this grant only available to newly registering childminders as I was talking to a friend in Wales and she said she is applying for a grant at the moment? - I would love a grant to buy some more outdoor bikes, trikes and to build a porch type structure behind my house, but because it would be a permanent structure attached to the house I can't even put the expenses through my accounts to offset any tax.

[gailee]

I could do with a grant, just to improve my conservatory and a downstairs loo would be so great and more toys for outside the list could go on on and on ... :thumbsup:

[Karen1]

Afraid its only for newly registered cms

[wee_elf]

Thanks all! Karen1 that is exactly what I was planning to do, use the money to purchase resources to support children with SEN. Did it take long for the money to come through? Thank You x

[Karen1]

Hi

From what i remember it wasnt long.
Since ive had it i have a deaf mindee, so have bought things for her. Nice to get some specific toys. And im liikung fir some nice braille tiys too.

Good luck.

[Simona]

You can find the info here from the DfE...the grant deadline for new businesses has been extended to the end of the year
This is for new childcare settings not existing ones
The grant is higher if you intend to look after children with disabilities

also contact your LA if already registered and ask about grants for children with disabilities or to care for disadvantaged 2 year olds


https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/creating-a-fairer-and-more-equal-society/supporting-pages/funding-a-grant-scheme-for-new-childcare-businesses

[hectors house]

Thank for the link Simona but my friend in Wales has been given a grant and she's not a new childminder, so just wondered how she had got it - must be different rules in Wales.