Childcare and early years

Free childcare is available for eligible working parents of children aged from 9 months to 4 years old in foster care. This gives foster families the same support as other families where it is right for the child.

The entitlement amounts to 1140 hours over a year. It can be used up to 30 hours a week during term time (38 weeks) or for fewer hours per week spread over more weeks of the year. 

Eligibility

Foster parents must meet certain eligibility criteria:

Accessing the extended hours is consistent with the child’s care plan; and where this is a single foster parent family, the foster parent is engaging in paid work outside their role as a foster parent; or where there are two foster parents in the same fostering household, both are engaging in paid work outside their role as a foster parent.

If one partner is not a foster parent, then that partner must be in qualifying paid work and earn a minimum of the equivalent to 16 hours at national minimum, unless they are receiving certain qualifying benefits.

There is no minimum earnings limit for foster carers working outside of their fostering role, but they cannot earn more than £100,000.

When to apply

Foster carers can claim funded childcare from the term after the child turns 9 months. Applications can be made up to 16 weeks before the child reaches the relevant age but please be aware codes need to be reverified every 3 months and could run out before the start of the relevant term if applied for too early. Also, places cannot commence part way through a term.

If you do not apply by the deadline, you will not be able to take up your entitlements in that term.

Eligibility checking process

The Family Information Service will confirm eligibility. If the application is successful, they will generate an 11 digit eligibility code which will be sent to the foster parents.

Foster parents are asked to present their eligibility code, National Insurance number and the child's date of birth to the provider of their choice.

The provider will then complete an electronic check through Westmorland and Furness Council to verify their eligibility. 

Reconfirming eligibility

Foster parents, like all other parents accessing funded hours, are required to reconfirm their eligibility every three months. To re-confirm the code, the foster carer will need to contact the Family Information Service. Failure to reconfirm could mean that a foster child is no longer eligible for funded hours childcare.

Who provides it?

You can use any of the following if they are Ofsted registered and are included on the local authority list to provide the entitlement.

• day nurseries
• pre schools
• nursery schools
• nursery classes
• some childminders 

How to apply

Applications are made through the Local Authority that is responsible for the child in foster care. Foster carers must speak to the child’s social worker before applying.

Please email fis@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk for an application form.

When the application is complete it must be signed by the social worker and the service manager.

Key considerations

Foster parents and social workers should consider the following when deciding whether 30 hours is right for a foster family:

• accessing 30 hours will not be appropriate for every child in foster care. This change is to enable those foster parents who are engaging in paid work outside their role as a foster parent to access this support where it is right for the child
• we are not expecting or requiring foster parents to work outside fostering unless they choose to do so, and this decision is supported by the fostering service
• the foster parent does not have to take up the full 30 hours.
  2 year olds in foster care are eligible for the 15 hour free entitlement for 2 year olds receiving specific forms of additional support regardless of the working status of their foster parents. We must fund the first 15 hours under this scheme before funding any working parent entitlement hours
• children who are 3 and 4 years old and in foster care will continue to qualify for the universal 15 hours regardless of the working status of their foster parents
• if circumstances change and a child in foster care ceases to be eligible for 30 hours, the child will enter a grace period and will be able to retain their place for a short period.