Funding for the Early Years and Childcare Entitlement

Childcare Funded Entitlements

Funded Entitlements Explained

Bolton Council distributes funding for:

  • 15 hours for eligible 2-year-olds
  • 15 hours universal entitlement for all 3- and 4-year-olds
  • 30 hours extended entitlement for working parents of children aged 9 months–4 years

Additional funding streams:

 

Best Start in Life (formerly Childcare Choices)Best Start in Life logo

Best Start in Life (formerly Childcare Choices) explains government childcare funding and entitlements. More information is available via Best Start in Life.

 

Checking eligibility for 2 years olds

Families can:

  • Check eligibility using the Citizen Portal 
  • Ask providers to check on their behalf using the provider portal
  • Contact the Families Information Service on 01204 332170

 

Rising Threes

Children in their last term before they become a funded three year old (i.e. the term of their third birthday) are known as 'rising threes'. Rising three children are not automatically eligible for any funded early education places. Funding can only be claimed if the child has had a successful eligibility check for two year old funding and/or a Working Parent code issued.

If a nursery does provide early education for a ‘rising three’ child who does not meet the criteria of the two year old funding or the working parent funding, they will either need to fund these hours themselves, or charge the parent up to the point of the child becoming a funded three year old. Where rising three children are in a provision, staffing ratios for two year olds needs to be applied.

Funding for any rising three children who have had a successful two year old eligibility check can be claimed through the headcount.

 

Accessing out of borough childcare

Sometimes parents want their child to go to a childcare provider in another authority, to make it easier for them to get to work for example.

Funding can be accessed in any borough; it is the duty of the provider to report this on their headcount. This is a local agreement between authorities.

If a child from outside of Bolton wants to access their funding in a Bolton provision, it is advised that providers ask the parents if the child is accessing their funding anywhere else, prior to registering the child. This can be done by using the Parent Declaration form.

Further background checks will be undertaken by the Local Authority to ensure that children from other boroughs are not accessing funding elsewhere. Payments may need to be reimbursed from providers should an error be found or if a child is found to be accessing funding hours from another setting.