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Funding for babies and toddlers (9-24 months)
Navigating childcare for your little one? We’re here to guide you through the funding opportunities available for expecting or new parents.
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Funding options
15 hours childcare funding for working families
Eligible working parents of children aged 9 months to 3 years may be entitled to 15 hours of funded childcare support. This government initiative aims to ease the transition back to work for parents, ensuring your child receives quality care during these early, formative years.
30 hours childcare funding for working families
From September 2025, the government announced that support was to be extended for an additional 15 hours. Working families are now eligible to apply for up to 30 hours of funded childcare per week. This is applicable from when your child is 9 months old until they begin school. This expansion will help parents to cover a significant portion of childcare needs during the work week.
Stretched funding hours
We understand the balancing act between work and family. That is why we offer the option to stretch your funded hours over 51 weeks instead of the standard 38; therefore giving families the option to use fewer hours per week but over a longer period. This provides consistent childcare throughout the year, reducing the need for additional arrangements during school holidays and giving your child a steady routine that fits around your family's lifestyle.
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15 hours of stretched childcare funding for working families
Traditionally allocated over the 38 weeks of term time, you have the option to extend this schedule to cover up to a 51-week period. By doing so, the weekly hours adjust to approximately 11 hours.
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30 hours of stretched childcare funding for working families
From September 2025, if you’re eligible for 30 hours of childcare funding, you can choose to stretch this for up to 51 weeks. In this case, your weekly hours would be around 22 hours.
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Essentials and extras
While government funding significantly offsets childcare costs, there may be additional fees for essentials and extras, such as all meals, nappies, wipes, sun cream, trips and extra curriculum. We’re committed to transparency and will provide a detailed breakdown of all costs at your nursery visit. Please find out more via Essentials and Extras.
Frequently Asked Questions
Working parents with babies starting from 9 months old may be eligible for 15 hours of childcare funding. Parents must work at least 16 hours weekly at the national minimum wage and have an annual income not exceeding £100,000.
The date you start or return to work determines when your free childcare begins. If you are returning between 1 October and 31 January, funding starts from the term on or after 1 January. If you are returning between 1 February and 30 April, funding starts from the term on or after 1 April.
The stretching option allows you to spread your funded hours over more weeks by using fewer hours each week, providing increased flexibility to match your family's schedule.
The daily use of funded hours depends on the nursery's availability and opening hours. The funding is allocated on a pro-rata basis across the year, rather than by specific days.
Unfortunately, hours are allocated on a pro-rata basis throughout the year, maintaining a consistent weekly routine regardless of holidays or sickness.
Please discuss your needs with the nursery manager as soon as possible. They will do their best to accommodate additional bookings, which will incur a non-funded charge.
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