Childcare Funding and Early Education Information

Tax-Free Childcare

You can get up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare. This goes up to £1,000 every 3 months if a child is disabled (up to £4,000 a year).

If you get Tax-Free Childcare, you’ll need to set up an online childcare account for your child. For every £8 you pay into this account, the government will pay in £2 to use to pay your provider. You can access this from birth onwards.

Find out if your eligible here:https://www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare

3 and 4 year old Early Education

The Welsh Government wishes to ensure that all parents and carers in Wales have access to free part-time Early Years Education for their child from the beginning of the term following their third birthday. Each qualifying child can receive up to 10 hours per week (2 hours a day) funded Education, which is offered here at our setting. The provision for 3 and four year olds is not obligatory

If you would like for your child to receive education at Little Steps, you will need to apply through the Powys website: https://en.powys.gov.uk/article/3810/Apply-for-Pre-School-3-and-4-yr-olds-Early-Years-Education. Please check the website for dates to apply, based on the age of your child.

The Childcare Offer for Wales – 30 Free hours

‘The Childcare Offer for Wales’ provides working parents with a mixture of childcare and early education for children aged 3 or 4. You could get up to 30 hours a week of early education and childcare. The 30 hours is made up of a minimum of 10 hours of early education a week and a maximum of 20 hours a week of childcare. During school holidays you can access the full 30 hours up to a set number of weeks (no more than 9 weeks per year).

For help and support contact your local family information service:

Powys: https://en.powys.gov.uk/article/7041/Childcare-Offer-Application-Form

NPT: https://www.npt.gov.uk/24862

Full time school

Powys Local Authority has one primary school intake in each school year, which is at the beginning of the Autumn Term after a child has attained their 4^th birthday. However, having a place at a nursery or pre-school class does not guarantee a place in the main school at age 4.  You will still need to apply for a place in the main school. If you don’t apply for a place, and your preferred school is full, preference will be given to those who have applied.

For more information, please visit https://en.powys.gov.uk/article/1158/Applying-for-a-School-Place