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hollyvilla
08-07-2011, 07:44 AM
Just had a conversation with a mum who told me that as her son had not used all his free places during the year, he was able to add all unused places up and have them during the school holidays. Does this make sense?

green puppy
08-07-2011, 09:11 AM
I believe the funded places are term time only but could be wrong, you also need to be an accredited cm to offer them. Doesn't sound right to me unless child is in a private nursery that is open all year. If you are accredited I guess you can check with network or local authority?

Andrea08
08-07-2011, 09:26 AM
agree with above ... need more info realy hun

if only attended 2 days only allowed 12.5 hrs a week etc

also we can run on into holls if it was our fault they missed on hrs (family holiday for example or illness on our part)

if child was sick then no they miss out xx

Helen79
08-07-2011, 09:45 AM
ds is using some of his free nursery hours in the summer holidays as he's only used 12 hours a week term time.
dd never used to be able to when she was at nursery but I think it's been changed so it's more flexible.

rickysmiths
08-07-2011, 09:56 AM
I thought it was only available for 15hrs a week during school term time so 39 weeks a year. I would have thought if you didn't use it then it was lost. Not sure how it can be offered in the weeks outside the 39.

Chimps Childminding
08-07-2011, 10:10 AM
I also thought it was only offered 15 hours per week 39 weeks per year, but not accredited myself so not sure if things have changed since my last mindee went to nursery :rolleyes: He only got 15 hours and they had to be used over 3 days. He only went 2 days so didn't use his full quota, but the nursery is closed holidays so he couldn't use them even if he wanted to!!

Pixie dust
08-07-2011, 10:19 AM
I know there have been changes to make it more flexible for parents and I am sure I read somewhere that the funding was going to be able to be spread out the hours throughout the year. not sure of all the details.

blue bear
08-07-2011, 11:39 AM
Think it depends on the area and the provider, my parents use their hours over the whole year, I just add up the 15 hours x38 weeks then divide down by the 48 weeks I open.
If a child misses a day due to holiday or illness they are not carried forward

A nursery here does not offer the flexible option they have stuck to the old regime of 15 hours a week for 38 weeks only.

We are allowed to offer flexible or not here.

newandlearning
08-07-2011, 01:04 PM
hi I'm able to offered funded spaces.. I had to do training and get accredited before offering these.

It's my understanding that if you are open all year around and a child comes for 9 hours per week then he can keep going throughout the holidays until he's used up all his hours..

in a preschool where they are only open term time he'd lose his hours if not all taken.. as you aren't accredited you can't offer anyway and tbh its quite a bit of extra work and so thank your lucky stars you arent hun xx:)

hollyvilla
08-07-2011, 02:16 PM
Thanks for all your help. The reason I was asking was because mum is going to use nursery for these hours during the school holidays instead of sending child to me as usual. Thanks again.

Andrea08
08-07-2011, 03:01 PM
I also thought it was only offered 15 hours per week 39 weeks per year, but not accredited myself so not sure if things have changed since my last mindee went to nursery :rolleyes: He only got 15 hours and they had to be used over 3 days. He only went 2 days so didn't use his full quota, but the nursery is closed holidays so he couldn't use them even if he wanted to!!

if you only attend over 2 days you are only allowed 12.5 ( sorry im accredited and deliver for the NEG)

its 15hrs a week over 38 weeks term time but if you the cm is off sick and owes a family hrs you can give thoes hrs in the holiday dates or added on in a day,

Chimps Childminding
08-07-2011, 03:30 PM
if you only attend over 2 days you are only allowed 12.5 ( sorry im accredited and deliver for the NEG)

its 15hrs a week over 38 weeks term time but if you the cm is off sick and owes a family hrs you can give thoes hrs in the holiday dates or added on in a day,

Thanks Andrea, wasn't sure how it worked. Mum lead me to believe that even though he didn't use all his hours nursery still claimed them :rolleyes:

Andrea08
08-07-2011, 03:34 PM
Thanks Andrea, wasn't sure how it worked. Mum lead me to believe that even though he didn't use all his hours nursery still claimed them :rolleyes:

ok if its not a school nursery and child is due the full 15hrs they can share the grant with you ,

when you say didnt use all his hrs was he attending more than 3 days? and was you offering the 15hrs a week..... be careful coz parents do try it on and we are the ones who have to pay the LA back any over paid fees!!!

karensmart4
08-07-2011, 03:36 PM
It is prob different in each area, but I have to fill in an 'estimated form' before each term starts, i.e. now ready for Sept and then part way through each term I have to complete an 'actual form' so if hours aren't used I owe a refund to County Hall.

So in my case I can't spread hours over the year ....... that I know of!

Chimps Childminding
08-07-2011, 03:46 PM
ok if its not a school nursery and child is due the full 15hrs they can share the grant with you ,

when you say didnt use all his hrs was he attending more than 3 days? and was you offering the 15hrs a week..... be careful coz parents do try it on and we are the ones who have to pay the LA back any over paid fees!!!

Mindee used to attend nursery just 2 mornings a week. I used to take him and pick him up and he was with me the rest of the day. I don't do funded hours as I am not accredited. I know mum thought that even though he didn't attend nursery the full 15 hours, they would claim them all :rolleyes: , but don't know. He isn't with me now as he is at school full time!

funemnx
08-07-2011, 05:20 PM
I believe you can choose to either Term Time only or use funding all year round but for fewer hours per week.

I haven't done this myself but the form I fill out has the option for either :thumbsup:

Helen79
08-07-2011, 05:34 PM
if you only attend over 2 days you are only allowed 12.5 ( sorry im accredited and deliver for the NEG)

its 15hrs a week over 38 weeks term time but if you the cm is off sick and owes a family hrs you can give thoes hrs in the holiday dates or added on in a day,

Some LA's have changed the entitlement & there's a total number of hours that can be claimed over the whole year, not just the 38 weeks.
ds goes to nursery for 12 hours a week over 2 days because atm we don't feel 3 days a week would be good for him. He's still entitled to the same amount of hours as every other child but can space the hours out over the holidays too.
He's a shy boy and struggles to settle into nursery so being able to keep going over the summer holidays is good for him cos he doesn't have to re-settle into nursery after having 6 weeks off.

Carol M
08-07-2011, 05:41 PM
If child is not attending for the 15 hrs which has to be used over a minimum of 3 days, the nursery should NOT be claiming for them. They are receiving the grant money fraudulently as they have to fill in forms stating when the child attends and then confirm the attendance and that the funded hours are being used in accordance with the rules.
Parents don't have to use all the 15 hrs if they don't want to, but if settings know the hours are not being used elsewhere they may try claiming them. Naughty!
Carol xx