The Department for Education (DfE) sets out the terms and conditions under which an early education and childcare provider can deliver funded childcare. This applies to all funded places. Key points in relation to what you can expect from your funded childcare provider are below;

Your provider can;

- Charge for additional hours

- Charge for consumables i.e. food, nappies, sun cream etc.

- Take a deposit to secure your funded place/hours. This must be refunded after the funded place has begun.

- Deliver up to 10 hours of funded childcare in one day

- Deliver funded childcare between the hours of 6am and 8pm (subject to their opening times)

- Stretch the funded childcare entitlement i.e. deliver fewer hours over more weeks per year

- Claim up to 570 (15 hours place) or 1140 (30 hours place) for an eligible child per academic year

- Claim funding for the duration of your notice period, should you wish to change settings

- Deliver your funded hours in partnership with another provider

- Claim funding for hours delivered on weekends or over school holidays

Your provider can not;

- Make any charge a condition of a funded place/hours

- Charge a registration or holding fee

- Charge a ‘top up’ fee i.e. the difference between their commercial, chargeable rate and the funded rate they receive from the local authority

- Deliver more than 10 funded hours to one child in a day

- Deliver outside the hours of 6am and 8pm

- Insist all funded hours are delivered at one setting

Please refer to the contract you have with your early education and childcare provider in the first instance.

What to expect from your Early Education and Childcare provider