Family Information Service

Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work

What does it do?

'Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work' will support adults (aged 20 years and over) in the target group by paying for childcare and travel costs while they are undertaking training or learning leading to work.

Who is eligible?

The target group for this scheme are families, with dependant children, where one parent is working but is on a low income and the other parent is not working but is looking to undertake learning or training.

The household income of the family must have been £20,000 or under in the previous tax year.

Learners must be aged 20 years and over.

What type of learning is applicable?

Any, un-waged, Learning and Skills Council funded provision up to and including Level 3.

This could be delivered via a number of different routes, for example in an further education college or delivered as Adult Safeguarded Learning.

There are no minimum or maximum course length criteria for this scheme. Taster courses through to 'A' levels are eligible, providing that the course provides a clear learning outcome and is part of a progression route into sustainable employment.

How much support is available?

'Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work' will pay childcare (and transport) costs of up to £175 per child per week (£215 per child per week in London).

What can/can not the funding be used for?

Can:

Ofsted registered childcare for time when the learner is undertaking Learning and Skills Council funded learning/training
Associated travel costs that learners face when travelling between home and their childcare provider
Fees necessary for a parent to retain a childcare place during the holidays
Any deposit that the provider usually charges to reserve a place, up to £250

Can not:

Unregistered childcare
A young parent who is under 20 years of age when they start learning
Learning or training that is not Learning and Skills Council funded

How does the learner apply?

Learners will need to complete an application form to apply for this support. They will need to ensure that their partner, their learning provider and their childcare provider have also completed their relevant sections of the form.

The learner will then need to send all sections of this form (in the pre-paid envelope) to the Learner Support Service, who will process the form to determine the learner's eligibility for this support.

What are the effects on other sources of funding and benefits?

Learners claiming childcare support from this scheme may also be eligible for:

Adult Learning Grant
Discretionary Hardship
Career Development Loans

Learners must not be receiving support from another source (including Job Centre Plus, the Sixth Form College Childcare Scheme and discretionary 20+ Childcare) for the childcare and transport costs that are funded through this scheme.

How are the funds administered?

Applications for this scheme are assessed by the Learner Support Service. If the learner is eligible they will receive a Notice of Entitlement along with a payment plan that sets out how much will be paid over what period of time
The childcare provider will receive payment directly in advance by Banking Automated Clearing System (BACS) payment
Any funding to help with travel costs will be paid directly to the learning provider, who then arranges payment to the learner

What is the aim?

The aim of this scheme is to encourage the non-working parent within a family to participate in learning or training that will help lead them into sustainable employment.

Therefore, contributing to the targets to reduce child poverty by improving the longer term job prospects of families.