Transferring free entitlement?

**Becci26** · 12-02-2014, 01:45 PM

Just wondering if anyone knows the answer to this while I'm waiting for my LA to call me back,

Have got a new mindee starting soon who will only be coming for funded hours, he has been at the local playgroup who have claimed his FE (funding started this term) but mum is pulling him out and wants him to start with me ASAP.

Do you know if it is possible to transfer funding from one setting to another? and how I go about doing this, my LA isn't always very helpful so hoping I can get a bit of a headstart with you lovely lot

**hectors house** · 12-02-2014, 01:54 PM

I am not sure but I expect you may have to contact the Nursery to find out how many funded hours they have claimed for or speak to the entitlements team as in our area you can now stretch the funding over the whole year rather than just term time - obviously this would depend also on whether the Nursery he is leaving offers all year round or just term time. You wouldn't want to get to the end of the year and find he had run out of hours and mum didn't want to pay you!

**funemnx** · 12-02-2014, 02:04 PM

I have been through this before and it may be different in each area but for me it was up to the nursery to refund the money for the rest of the term

**QualityCare** · 12-02-2014, 02:08 PM

I have just had a funded child start with me who was at a nursery claiming funding for her my LA are going to request the nursery pays back the money to them and they will pay me from the date she started not from the beginning of term.

**mama2three** · 12-02-2014, 02:09 PM

In this area Im afraid the setting where the funding is claimed for the term gets it for the term unless they leave very early in the term. For larger settings it works on a swings and roundabouts idea - and overall some leave early , others start before the end of a new term etc....that doesn't help us as individual providers though. It has worked in my favour as a child moved up to school on their 4th birthday but I still received the funding for the rest of the term. Mum may have to pay you and 'lose' the free element. I hope its different where you are though x

**wee_elf** · 12-02-2014, 03:46 PM

I have had this situation reversed in the past where I was told (as the nursery) by our LA that I had to refund the childminder the remaining amount of the funding that would not be claimed by our setting. I sent a cheque to the childminder directly and the parent had to fill out a new claim form.
I don't know if this is actually helpful as every LA is different and it was a good few years ago xx

**emma04** · 12-02-2014, 05:41 PM

In my area the parents lose the funding if they remove their child from the setting before the payment term ends!

I feel this is harsh as I've just given notice and child will finish with me 1 week before new term starts so I gain 15hrs (1weeks worth) of his funding. I was going to explain this to mum but she's already decided to send lo to new setting after Easter so no worries.

I spoke to my LA and they said money cannot be transferred! That would be awful if a childminder or other setting gave notice with a shed load of term left!

Hmmm another one to ponder on!

**Tazmin68** · 12-02-2014, 07:29 PM

Where I am we complete the term estimate figures two weeks before the term starts and then we have what is known as Headcount day usually 4-6 weeks once the term has started. A child cannot change setting once the Headcount date has passed. If the child moves the funding remains with the setting and child cannot claim until the next term. It's a bit like giving us 6 weeks notice is the way I see it. If child was in my area the Headcount was a couple of weeks ago so would not be able to start until the Easter term.

**bunyip** · 13-02-2014, 09:10 AM

I think this depends very much upon your LA. I live in one county, but very close to another and they both do this differently.

My own county runs what it calls a "swings and roundabouts" system. If a child moves to a different setting, the original setting keeps anything already paid out, but cannot claim any more. The new setting cannot claim until the next due payment date comes around. They do say they "hope" the new setting can simply give the child a free place (for which they'll receive no funding) but they realise they can't enforce this level of optimism.

**Becci26** · 13-02-2014, 07:41 PM

Thankyou lovely friends in my phone!

It's crazy that (as with lots of things) it send so different depending on the LA,

Anyway, my LA called back earlier and it seems relatively straight forward, I need to claim the funding back from the previous setting, hopefully they are cooperative!!

**bunyip** · 13-02-2014, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by Becci26

Thankyou lovely friends in my phone!

It's crazy that (as with lots of things) it send so different depending on the LA,

Anyway, my LA called back earlier and it seems relatively straight forward, I need to claim the funding back from the previous setting, hopefully they are cooperative!!

Historically, a lot of childcare legislation is centred on LAs taking responsibilities.

It means national regime ministers can pass the buck downwards a rung or 2 and don't have to take responsibility for under-funding, systemic FUBARs, dead children, and similar little inconveniences that tend to spoil dinner at their club.