3 and 4 year old funding

Morning all,
I am registered to provide funding, however I have not gone through the process as yet because we've had no one requiring it until now.
I've been reading through the information given to me by my free entitlement team (who I can't get hold of at the moment)
Am I right in thinking that I can only get funding for these children if they are with me on the headcount date ? So anyone needing childcare from me between these dates I can not offer them a place ?
Thanks in advance for replies x

Quote:

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Originally Posted by *daisychain*

Morning all,
I am registered to provide funding, however I have not gone through the process as yet because we've had no one requiring it until now.
I've been reading through the information given to me by my free entitlement team (who I can't get hold of at the moment)
Am I right in thinking that I can only get funding for these children if they are with me on the headcount date ? So anyone needing childcare from me between these dates I can not offer them a place ?
Thanks in advance for replies x

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It is all designed for term-based nurseries so can be very difficult for childminder with children coming and going at all points of the year- speak to your LA FE team explain your issue and see what they say. Read the contract you agreed to. Basically Headcount day is the day that counts but LA might be able to do something for you if you speak to them?

Depends on your LA. Childminders in North Yorkshire can accept children after 'head count' and still get the funding for the remaining weeks of the term. Schools and nurseries have to adhere to only being funded for children attending at headcount week.

However, i usually only say I can offer a funded space starting from September, January and start of the summer term. If they want to start sooner then it is not funded until the start of term.

Be very careful and definitely check with your LA. Our LA, west Yorkshire, state that if a child starts after a certain date they will not pay the FEE but would expect you to honour the place!!?? yep - you've got it provide free care - as you are not allowed to charge for the FEE place if an eligible child wants to access it and you have it to offer. On the other hand if a child leaves after a certain date they will pay for the remainder of the term!!?? Yep, pay for a place with no child in it. I get increasingly disillusioned with ' the system' and you have to be very careful and NOT say you aren't offering a place because they have passed the head count date as this in our LA is not acceptable. :angry:

Make sure you have the dates correct for claiming, in writing and you understand them otherwise it could cost you a fortune. :thumbsup:

Thanks for the info. I have been unable to get in touch with anyone to discuss it today. It just seems like so much hassle , the paperwork I've read through says what I originally thought. Im almost glad I can't offer it because of the hassle but on the other hand feel for the parents that I now have to say no to.

In Swindon you can start the funding at anytime as long as you are registered. If you are not registered you then have to do so but can only start claiming from the following term so for us it is worth just registering "in case"