Early Years Capital Grant

**elaineg** · 05-09-2008, 10:56 AM

Not sure if I have posted in the right place but Im sure you will move it for me if I have it wrong.

Did anyone else receive a letter about an Early Years Capital Grant, I rang my network coordinator about it today and apparently I can have up to £1,500 to spend on equipment and resources to help with EYFS, she said it can include things like laptops, digital cameras, camcorders, outdoor play equipment, indoor play equipment, buggies.

Part of the letter reads

What is the grant for?

The capital grant has been provided to:
1. Improve the quality of the learning environment in the early years setting to support delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), with a particular emphasis on improving play and physical activities and ICT resources.

2. Ensure all children, including disabled children are able to access provision

3. Enable PVI providers to deliver the extension to the free offer for 3 and 4 year old and to do so flexibly.

Who is eligible to apply?

To be eligible to receive this grant funding you must be delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage to be registered with Ofsted on the Early Years Register. In addition, to qualify for funding under item 3 above, your setting must be registered with the Families Information Servies to receive 3 and 4 year old funding.

That sounds like just about everyone to me.

love Elaine XXX

**Jules12Wed** · 05-09-2008, 11:14 AM

One of my mindees who I have 4 days a week her Mum told me the other day that when she reaches 4 in December then she will be placing her in a nursery for 1 day a week to gain her entitlement to the 12 hours (I think) free nursery. Equivalent to going to a nursery 5 mornings a week. She said unless I could provide the free nursery vouchers i.e. the Mum does not pay me for those hours but the government.

I spoke to my network co-ordinator and she says I have to an accredited childminder to do this. It seems that being an accredited childminder would be doing the same as what I am already doing with the EYFS but you have the assistance of (in my area) a schools worker who helps you with planning.

I assume that this would be the entitlement to the money as you would be providing nursery education. (Although I have not heard anything in my area about this!!!!)

**elaineg** · 05-09-2008, 11:42 AM

When I spoke to my network coordinator she said I could definately have the grant and Im not an accredited childminder, she said it was for everyone, so fingers crossed we can all have it.

love Elaine XX

**PaulaR** · 05-09-2008, 11:49 AM

how do we find out if we are eleigable??? Its probably just for accredited childminders

**Tatia** · 05-09-2008, 12:24 PM

No! The capital grant is for ALL childcare provision (not just childminders), you do NOT have to be accredited. That's something different completely. I am applying for some of the grant money for outdoor equipment and a play surface.

ASK YOUR DEVELOPMENT WORKER!!!

I didn't know if it was available everywhere but if it is available in your area, then definitely go for it! We have to deliver the same service as nurseries and playgroups so we should be entitled to the same grant money.

I've recently become accredited and have a little boy I am delivering the nusery education for. It's prettymuch the same as I do for EYFS anyway so if you're interested in it, ask your network development worker.

**Mrs.L.C** · 05-09-2008, 12:31 PM

Iv not heard about this. Are you in an area they class as a disadvantaged area?

This sounds dif from the government grant for children 3&4 2.5 hours per session up to 5 sessions as you do need to be accredited for this. It seems to be only slightly more paper work to what the EYFS is asking us to do (you need to do head count forms termly & then transitional documents when they move onto school)

Will be asking my Dev worker when I next speak to her about this capital grant

**elaineg** · 05-09-2008, 02:44 PM

My network coordinator said that the grant is available for three years, but Im handing mine in asap in case the funding runs dry.

love Elaine XX

**sarah707** · 05-09-2008, 02:49 PM

Not heard anything about this in Cheshire...

I will ask

**Tatia** · 05-09-2008, 02:58 PM

Iv not heard about this. Are you in an area they class as a disadvantaged area?

No, it's nothing to do with that. Well, I imagine maybe disadvantaged nurseries and such might be looked upon more favourably when it comes to granting the money but anyone can apply. At least here in Southend, they can.

**miffy** · 05-09-2008, 03:00 PM

Never heard of this so who do I ask or apply to???

Miffy xx

**Tatia** · 05-09-2008, 03:01 PM

Our's is being governed by local Surestart, Miffy. Ask your development worker if there's capital grant funding in your area. We got a big long letter about it here, back in the Spring, I think.

**miffy** · 05-09-2008, 03:03 PM

Thanks Tatia - not sure I've got a development worker but I'll do some digging

Miffy xx

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 05-09-2008, 03:53 PM

I have emailed....

**Tatia** · 05-09-2008, 04:36 PM

Best of luck to both of you! Hope you get some answers. Miffy, do you have a network in your area? Network coordinator? Anyone from Surestart at all that comes and checks on you from time to time?

I never thought to mention it here. I got the letter way back, got very excited and then promptly forgot about it.

Only this week did I come across the form and think "oh yeah, I was gonna apply for that".

**Monkey1** · 05-09-2008, 04:50 PM

I think i will be making a call on Monday morning!

**Jules12Wed** · 05-09-2008, 05:01 PM

We got a grant in December 07/January 08 for IT equipment or anything linked. It was just for network childminders and we got £600 we had about 2 months to hand in our invoices but basically we could buy anything ITish like computer, digital camera, printers, paper, ink cartridges, not playstation games or anything like that though.

I made sure I spent every last penny of mine!!
There were lots of childminders round here who were peeved cos they were not entitled to it.

**Angela234** · 05-09-2008, 05:03 PM

I have never heard about it either would be great though

Angela

**carolinel** · 06-09-2008, 10:56 PM

mmm, very interesting. will be on asking my network co-ordinator about this on Monday!

**ajs** · 06-09-2008, 11:03 PM

miffy i will ask xxxx about it
who is your local network coordinator (runs the network meetings we've been going to in notts) she will know
i'll email xxxx though and let you know

**miffy** · 07-09-2008, 07:23 AM

Originally Posted by ajs

miffy i will ask xxxxxxxxx about it
who is your local network coordinator (runs the network meetings we've been going to in notts) she will know
i'll email michelle though and let you know

I haven't found ours much help really - she's twice been supposed to be ringing me about different things and hasn't and at our last network meeting she didn't know what was happening in our area so I wouldn't place much faith in her.

Thanks though - I'll be interested to know what Michelle says.

Miffy xx