Guest Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 I have read the Code and am none the wiser. I am finding out for a friend who is budgeting, basically. From September the allowance is 15 hours - am I correct in assuming that you can take the whole 15 hours before top-ups can be charged? At the mo, she gets the first 2.5 hours of a 5 hour session free. My recollection is that from September, if she is just doing 2 afternoons, they will be free - or will the setting then insist on minimum of 4 afternoons? If anyone can shed light, that would be helpful
AnonyMouse_3139 Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 (edited) If shes eligible for the grant then surely if she is doing just two 5 hour sessions then she shouldnt be paying anything, thats just 10 hours. At the moment shes allowed to claim for 12.5 hours of free funding. Our children have anything from 1 to 5 sessions at 2.5 hours all free, because the grant pays upto that much. The whole 15 hours will be free from September, no other fee can be charged and if it is for say lunch etc then it has to be shown on the invoice. They cant insist that she take 4 afternoons I wouldnt have thought, although I do know an LEA nursery near me offered 5 mornings/afternoons or nothing so maybe they can? Edited to say, oops, the grant is paid in 2.5 hour bits isnt it so they can charge for the rest of each session. Edited May 4, 2010 by Rea
Guest Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 Can anyone tell me - will the result of this weeks election have any bearing on the 15 hour entitlement???
AnonyMouse_73 Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 Hi lolo. No they cant insist that the child takes up 4 afternoons, they can take as little as 2 sessions if they wish and could take the remaining hours with another provider if they wish to. She can take the 15 hours flexibly within what the setting provides (so for exanpke a setting that only opens in the morning may not be offering all day, so if you wanted a full day you would have to look at other providers as well). Settings can charge over and above the 15 hours. So if the child attends only 2 sessions of 5 hours each, then they should be free.
Guest Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 Thanks, this is what I thought. She will be pleased to hear that!
AnonyMouse_2418 Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 My understanding is that it is a flexible entitlement and that it isn't just education funding any more some can be used for the care elements of the package, we have been told that parents can take the 15 hours over a minimum of 3 days, but they could choose to use 10 hours one day and for example 2 x 2.5 hours on the others and pay for anything extra over this. Also our Early Years have said that we can make reccomendations for hours, dependant on what we can offer, especially if too much mixing and matching will mean we are left with big, unworkable gaps in Full time equivalent places and would be losing money. As we tend to be pretty flexible with our families anyway am sure the 15 hours will not be too hard a task but watch this space!
Guest Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 hiya i am in hampshire and i am offering 15 hours a week free already as we are part of the pilot this is what we do 1. we can offer 15 hours a week free any time, then and only them charge fees. 2. i think they can claim 14 hours if taken over 2 days rather than 3 3. we open from 9 - 2.45 and times in between, and arent allowed to charge extra for funded hours, or lunches etc. parents can do a split claim, this is fun when some of them only do 12.5 hours a week! you need to start thinking in hours not sessions, this really helps all our bills are now in hours not session and this is easier, total up thier hours per week take away what is funded and they pay for the rest hope this is clear sarah
AnonyMouse_8466 Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 Our Local Authority's EYSFF allowed settings to offer a variety of flexibility models - the least inflexible was 5 x 3 hours, the most flexible was over a minimum of two days, max ten hours a day (I think). If I have to offer more flexibility than that I will definitely go under. So I'm hoping that the arrangements will still stand given that our Authority didn't apply to be a pathfinder authority. We'll wait and see! Maz
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