Lucie Bugg

Childminder

Funding at my setting

 

I offer funded sessions between 08:00 and 17:30. I will try to be as flexible as possible when using the funded hours available to meet your childcare needs.

Any hours required before 08:00 and after 17:30, or for care required in addition to any eligible funding, can be purchased as follows:

 

07:30 – 08:00 (Early Bird Session):  £4.00 per session

08:00 – 17:30 (additional hours):      £5.00 per hour

After 17:30 (Unsocial hours fee):     £8.00 per hour

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Suffolk County Council allocate the number of weeks per term for which I can claim funding as follows:

Autumn term: 14 weeks between 1st September to 31st December

Spring term: 11 weeks between 1st January to 31st March

Summer term: 13 weeks between 1st April to 31st July.

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However, within these dates I set which weeks funding will cover based around school term dates. These can be found within the calendar section of Baby's Days. They do not usually include half-term dates unless a stretched offer has been agreed between us. Please ask me for further details about this.

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There is some paperwork we will need to complete before we can access the funding.

• You will need to go on to the Childcare Choices website to check your eligibility and obtain a unique code: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

• We will need to complete Suffolk County Councils Parental Consent Form (PAF).

• You will be asked to provide either a Birth Certificate, Passport, Child Benefit Book or other form of identity to confirm your child’s Date of Birth. A copy may need to be sent to Suffolk County Council along with the PAF.

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Please bear the following very important information in mind:

• By signing the PAF, you are committed to ensuring that your child attends.

• You must not knowingly register your child for hours they will not be attending regularly. If a child fails to attend on a regular basis, funding must be returned to Suffolk County Council and these charges will be passed on to you.

• It is your responsibility to get a funding code and complete the required documentation within the timescales you are given – if you fail to do this I will not be able to offer you the funded sessions and you will be liable to pay the full amount at my hourly fee.

• The funding payment is conditional to you updating your eligibility termly on the Govt portal and resigning the PAF termly. If you don’t do this the funding will stop and I will have to charge you for all your child’s booked hours as set out in our Childcare Contract at my normal rate, payable in advance.

• Each term SCC set a ‘headcount date’ and children not registered and attending the setting by that date will not be able to claim the grant until the following term. 

• You must remember to adjust your tax-free childcare claim if you want your child to attend during school holiday periods not covered by funding.

 

Other Funding considerations

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• Bank holidays – I do not offer funded sessions on Bank Holidays. If your funded sessions falls on a Bank Holiday you will be offered a funded session elsewhere in the term, however, I may not have space in ratios and cannot guarantee this will be possible.

• Cancellations – funded sessions cancelled due to extreme weather, staff sickness etc will, where possible, be offered elsewhere in the term. However, I might not have space in ratios and cannot guarantee this will be possible. We will take advice from the local authority as necessary.

• Settling in sessions – are available at no additional cost, subject to a space being available. These will consist of three sessions beginning with a 30 minute sessions, then a one hour session and finally a two hour sessions. Additional sessions may be offered if I feel it is in the child’s best interest.

• Stretched hours – I do not usually offer stretched hours over holiday periods.

• Term time only care – I offer term time only childcare.

• Retention period – funding documents including parent forms will be retained securely with HMRC information for 6 years.

 

What isn't covered?

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These childcare offers are not intended to cover the costs of meals, other consumables (such as nappies or sun cream), additional hours or additional activities (such as trips). I will charge a fee for these additions, unless you provide your own. However, you are not required to pay any fee as a condition of taking up a 15 or 30 hours place, and must be offered alternative options.

 

My additional care package:

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As part of your child’s funded hours, or for any additional non-funded days you require, you can purchase food and drink or an additional care package:

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•            Food and drink – for £0.50 per snack, £2.00 per breakfast or £3.00 per lunch I will provide your child’s food and drinks during their time with me. All food will be healthy and nutritious following latest Government guidelines and your child will be offered fresh water through the day. Please be aware that I do not provide a hot, cooked meal. If you require your child to have a hot meal at the setting you must provide this yourself. Refer to Meals, Snacks and Drinks for more details.

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•            Personal care items – for £2.00 day I will provide a personal care package, which includes wipes, nappies and pull-ups. Please refer to Personal Care Package for more details.  

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If you do not wish to purchase additional meals or a care package you must provide your own.

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Additional costs:

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• Deposit – I charge a £100 holding deposit to hold the funded hours which will be repaid to you in the first month. If you cancel your place without giving 4 weeks’ notice, I will retain the deposit. 

• Early drop off fee - If you want to drop your child off or arrive before their contracted hours or you will be charged my normal hourly rate for the time.

• Late collection fee - If you collect your child late, you will be charged a late collection fee of £5.00 for every 15 minutes you are late.

• Notice period – if you leave me mid-term, funding will not follow your child from my setting to the new provider.

• Starting mid-term – If you will be joining my setting from another provider partway through a term I will have to charge you my usual rate for childcare as I cannot claim funding for a child that has previously claimed funding in that term from another provider, and they will be entitled to keep that funding.

• Outings – I will invoice you for entry fees and other outing related charges at cost. However, these outings will be discussed with you in advance, and does not include weekly toddler group outings.

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I am mindful of the impact of additional charges on funded parents and ask you to speak to me if you have any questions about my fees. I believe this is a fair way of offering the funding to help ensure I stay sustainable.

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Meals, Snacks and Drinks

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One of the rules for Govt. funding is that I must provide you with options if you choose not to pay for my meals, snacks and drinks.

Therefore, if you do not choose to purchase any of the food elements of my additional care package, the following is a typical menu  and I ask that you replicate it so that your child is eating the same food as their friends, and so that I can adhere to Govt guidelines:

• Please give your child breakfast at home before they arrive in the morning.

• For Morning snack (around 10:30) please provide your child with a healthy carbohydrate (breadsticks, crackers, rice cake, etc.) and 1 piece of fruit in a named container and, if required, a sealed cup of milk. If this is not eaten, for example because snack has been provided at toddler group, it will be sent home.

• For lunch (around 12:00) please send your child with, for example, a sandwich (on 50/50 bread), wholemeal pitta or wrap (filled with ham, chicken, egg, cheese etc,), a small side salad/salad vegetables, at least 1 piece of fruit, and a yogurt, fromage frais or similar milky pudding.

• For Afternoon Snack (around 15:30) please provide your child with a healthy carbohydrate (crumpet, rice cake, crackers, etc.) and 1 piece of fruit in a named container.

• Tea/dinner (around 16:45/17:00) must be provided by parents. Please provide a meal which I can heat up, preferably in a microwave. Examples of suitable meals include fish or chicken dippers, spaghetti bolognaise, meatballs, roast chicken dinner, chicken casserole, pizza (ideally home-made) etc. All main meals should include 2 portions of vegetables and a healthy carbohydrate, such as white or sweet potato, rice, pasta, lentils/beans etc.

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Recommended portion sizes: experts advise that a portion of pasta, rice, fruit, vegetable etc is about the size of your child’s closed fist, and a portion of meat, fish or alternative should be as big as your child’s palm.

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Please be aware:

• You will need to bring your child’s food and milk in a named cool bag or insulated lunch box with an ice-pack as I may not have space in my fridge for storage. This is especially important during warmer weather.

• To follow Govt guidelines for healthy eating in early years settings I am not supposed to offer your child food such as biscuits, crisps cake or chocolate. If these are sent they will usually be returned home at the end of the day. I may, however, allow such foods for special occasions, for example to celebrate a birthday.

• I will use my own plates, bowls and cutlery, but please provide your child with a named cup. The NHS guidance recommends a cup or beaker with a free-flow lid (without a non-spill valve) from around 6 months and, as soon as your child is ready they should be encouraged to move from a lidded beaker to drinking from an open cup.

• Children will only be allowed fresh water or milk to drink.

• I will send pots and containers home unwashed in the lunch bag. Please ensure these are clearly labelled with your child’s name.

• Please do not send in any foods that contain nuts in case of allergies.

• All food provided by parents must follow the food safety guidance from the Dept. for Education as I am inspected by Ofsted on the food I allow children to eat in my setting.

• If you forget your child’s food I will ask you to return home and collect it for them or I will charge you the appropriate meal fee.

 

Useful Guidance:

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Early Years Food Choking Hazards: https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/Early%20Years%20Choking%20Hazards%20Table_English.pdf

Healthy eating guidance published for the early years sector - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Eat-Better-Start-Better1.pdf (foundationyears.org.uk)

Example menus for early years settings in England: part 1 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

 

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Personal Care Items

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One of the conditions of Govt funding is that we must provide you with options if you choose not to purchase my Personal Care Package.

Therefore, if you don’t wish to purchase the personal care element of my additional care package please put together a bag which contains the following:

• Nappies / Pull-ups, if used by your child.

• Baby Wipes – these will used for nappy changes, as well as face and hand cleaning

• Disposable gloves

• Hand sanitizer (alcohol free) for outings

• Nappy Disposal bags

• Nappy Rash Cream (named)

• Sun cream (named)

• Teething Gel (if used)

• Tissues

• Toothbrush and Toothpaste (if to be used in the setting)

• Spare underwear, if your child is potty trained or being potty trained.

• Wet bag for soiled clothing

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Please note:

• I am happy to store items at the setting. Your child will be given their own box to store their items. When items run low will let you know so you can send in replacements.

• Regardless of whether your child is funded or not, you will also be asked to supply named spare clothes, coat and footwear for the season and any other personal care items for your child’s use – for example, one-off or on-going medication, slippers etc.

• If sending a bag each session, the contents will need to be replaced regularly as used.

• If you forget your child’s bag or if you have not provided me with the requested contents, I will charge you to return home and bring them, or I will charge you the previously discussed Personal Care Items fee.