YMCA Childcare offer Early Education funded places for eligible two year olds and all three and four year olds.
From April 2024 we will be offering the new Early Years funding for eligible working families of children from 2 years of age.
From September 2024 we will be offering the new Early Years funding for eligible working families of children from 9 months of age.
- Check your eligibility on the Childcare Choices website.
All children who are three and four years old are entitled to early education funding from the term after they turn three. The entitlement is 15 funded hours per week for 38 weeks of the year and can be used term time (38 weeks) or with a stretched funding offer over the whole year (52 weeks).
Some working families with children aged three and four years of age may be eligible for 30 hours of funding per week for 38 weeks of the year, which can be used term time only (38 weeks) or with a stretched funding offer over the whole year (52 weeks).
If eligible, funding can be claimed the term after your child turns two or three years of age. Please see the table below for dates.
| Child’s birthday | When you can claim |
| 1 January to 31 March | The beginning of term on or after 1 April |
| 1 April to 31 August | The beginning of term on or after 1 September |
| 1 September to 31 December | The beginning of term on or after 1 January |
There is no registration fee charge for fully funded children.
For information regarding Tax-Free Childcare, early education funding and universal credits for childcare please speak to your Childcare Manger or visit the Childcare Choices website.
How To Claim Any Of The Funding Mentioned Above
1. Please complete a ‘Parent Authorisation Form’ in advance of the new term. (We call this a PAF) We then need this to be updated promptly when we ask you, each term, to ensure funding.
2. If you wish to ‘stretch’ your entitlement over the whole year you will need to sign a personalised ‘Stretch Agreement’.
3. You will have to prove your entitlement to the funding in one of 3 ways, see below:
- All 3-4 year olds access the universal 15 hours term time care from the term after their third birthday.
- Some 3-4 year olds access an additional 15 hours term time care by providing a GOV.UK code from https://www.gov.uk/apply-30-hours-free-childcare.
- Some 2 year olds are entitled to funding using a ‘Golden Ticket’ issued by Suffolk County Council or by supplying a 2 year funding code from https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/children-families-and-learning/childcare-information-and-support-for-parents-and-providers/guidance-for-parents-and-carers/funded-early-learning-for-2-year-olds/.
- Some 2 year olds are entitled to the new 2 year funding for working families by supplying a funding code from childcarechoices.gov.uk
4. You will be required to provide Proof of Identification – either a Birth Certificate, Passport or European ID card is acceptable
