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Financial Support for Childminders: What are your options?

Childcare Business Grant and other financial support for childminders and childminding agencies
Author: cheqdin
Published Date: November 16, 2018

If you are a childminder in the UK, did you know you could be eligible for the following financial support from the Government?

1.Childcare Business Grant

If you are a newly registered childminder or childminding agency in England, you could get a one-off grant of £300 - £1000 from the Department of Education to help you kickstart your business. Who can apply?
  • Registered childminders
  • Childminding Agencies
  • Childcare provider working from a domestic premises
The Criteria to Qualify:
  • You are registered with Ofsted or CMA (Child Minding Agency) on the Early Years Register.
  • Newly registered: Your application should be no later than three months of registering your childminding business.
  • You shouldn’t have applied for the grant before. However, there is an exception. If you’ve once received the childcare business grant as a childminder and you are now expanding into a childminding agency, you are eligible to apply
  • You plan to provide the 30-hours funded scheme to at least one child in your setting, and you must be registered with your Local Authority to offer the 30-hours scheme.
What can you use the grant for? To pay for various set-up expenses such as:
  • DBS checks (for England and Wales) or Disclosure Scotland for childminders in Scotland
  • First Aid Course
  • Childproofing
  • Contracts
  • Trade memberships
  • Insurance
  • Health declaration booklet
  • Toys, furniture, children’s books
  • Training & courses for professional development
  • Childcare record management tools such as Cheqdin
  • ICT tools for the children
Remember to retain your receipts and spend the received amount within three months of receiving it. How do you apply? You can apply online on the  Childcare Business Grant website if you have an electronic copy of your Ofsted/CMA certificate with you or you can email childcarebusinessgrants@ecorys.com for a hard copy of the application to apply by post.

2. Early Years Pupil Premium

If you have underprivileged 3 and 4 year-olds-in your care – who are adopted, in care or whose parents qualify for certain benefits  - you could get a Government grant of up to £300 per child every year. Who can apply?
  • Registered Childminders
  • Preschools
  • Nurseries
  • Schools
What can you use the grant for? You can use the amount to improve the quality of education you provide to the children, such as:
  • Training staff in specialised areas such as speech and language or maths
  • Toys, books and equipment such as tablets for supervised use by the children
  • Dance or music sessions to support their learning and physical development
  • Vouchers towards uniform and book bags to take home
How do you apply? Speak to your Local Authority as the funds are disbursed through them. You can find more details of the scheme on the Gov.uk website.

 3.Disability Access Fund

If you provide places for 3-4-year-olds who receive Disability Living Allowance and are entitled to free early year education and childcare,  you could receive up to £615 per child every year. Who can apply?
  • Registered childminders
  • Nurseries
  • Preschools
What can you use the grant for? To make reasonable adjustments to your building and premises for the children with special needs How do you apply? You would again need to check with your Local Authority. You can find more information about the funding scheme here.

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