Confused with Funded hours

[LittleRabbits]

I am reading through 'Provider Agreement 2014/15 Nursery Education Funding' from Telford and Wrekin. I understand we cannot charge extra for meals for funded child care places. This is stated in the agreement.

'Providers must allow parents to access their entitlement completely free at the point of delivery. This means that to access a funded place parents must not be required to purchase additional services and items such as additional hours, food, uniform or be required to pay any registration or administration fee.'


However, in the same agreement further on it states:

'The duration of the lunch break can be included as part of the funded hours. Where it is reasonably practicable for the setting, parents should be given the option of providing a packed lunch. Providers can make a reasonable charge for food that is supplied as part of a meal; the charge to parents accessing a free place should be the same as to other parents. Funding of lunches for 3 and 4 year olds is not provided by Telford and Wrekin Council.


How can it state no charge for meals, then state we can charge. I am confused because I know of nurseries that charge for meals....

[LittleRabbits]

It also states

'Retail checks of proof of date of birth (i.e. birth certificate) relating to every child upon initial registration and hold these for three years in line with the Data Protection Act.'


Does anyone else take copies of birth certificates or ask to see them? Wasn't told we had to do this?

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I read this to mean:

1st paragraph - that you cannot put a condition of buying food, additional hours to access the funding or be a condition of the funding

2nd paragraph - that the parent has the choice of bringing a packed lunch or paying you to provide food at a reasonable price

3rd paragraph - you need to take details or a copy of the birth certificate and keep it on your records for three years. I have to see the birth certificate and sign to say that this is so, I do not keep a copy.

[LittleRabbits]

Thanks, that sort of makes sense, it is silly how it has been worded. On the parent application form, it states

'Meals are NOT included - Please refer to your childcare provider for charges.'

What happens if a child is off ill and should have been in claiming funded hours, do you put in a count form of guessed hours or actual hours after children have attended?

[Koala]

If a child is off ill, holiday , any reason and is registered to attend your setting - i.e. you reserve a place for them - the funded hours can still be claimed even if the child has been unable to attend. The funded hours are not a compulsory part of education for 2, 3 and 4 year olds (YET!) nor are they bound by terms and conditions to attend if they don't feel like it for whatever reason.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

You still get paid because they are paying you for the place and not the person attending. Some of my 2 year olds turn up once in a while

[Mouse]

For our LA we have to complete registers and if children don't attend regularly we will have to pay back their funding. The odd day off ill is OK, but for regular non- attenders or those who don't come for a while, the funding is claimed back from the next payment.

[LittleRabbits]

I see. We have to do registers so thought if they dont turn up, LA won't pay the funding still.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I see. We have to do registers so thought if they dont turn up, LA won't pay the funding still.

Mine works differently. You need to talk to your LA to see how they work

[bunyip]

Mine works differently. You need to talk to your LA to see how they work

I find this varies not only by which LA you deal with (in my case, potentially, up to 4 different LAs) but also which particular overworked official finds the time to pick up the phone when I ring them.

One person at county hall told me the money would be refundable if the child didn't attend for any reason. The other said it would be refundable if I were closed, but not if the family didn't send the child because of their holiday/illness/parents' choice.

Both suggested it would be preferable to make up any missed funded hours by giving additional hours during unfunded weeks (which usually, but not always, fall in school holidays) rather than mucking about with refunds or recalculations.

Both admitted they were too swamped with funding claims to make it likely they'd carry out any checks. They simply have to rely on CMs putting their 'professional integrity' (i.e. honesty) above whatever they can 'get away with'.

[hectors house]

Last night I was told by a parent of a 2 year old funded child, that they are going away for a few days and child will be back on Friday - she has only started doing this since child was funded as it doesn't cost her much to mess me around now. I don't know what I am supposed to do about his funding but I have every intention of claiming for the hours he should have attended.