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Did you know that some two year olds may be able to get up to 15 hours of funded childcare? This is known as Time for Twos in Dudley.

The 15 hours funded childcare entitlement has now been extended to include families on certain benefits AND eligible working parents.

You can apply for a Time for Twos place as soon as your child has their second birthday.

Time for twos - families on certain benefits

You can apply for a Time for Twos place for your child as soon as they have had their second birthday.  The funded childcare place runs for three terms until your child moves in to their funded early education place the term after their third birthday.

Applying

If your child has their second birthday between:

We will continue to offer priority to children who are subject to child protection or child in need plans, if they also meet the mandatory financial criteria.

How much funded childcare can my child have?

The government has produced an EE Choice Framework Guide which explains how and where your child can take up their funded two-year-old place. This includes information to help you decide where your child will take up their place and how to make a complaint if you are not offered a choice.  As a minimum, all providers must ensure that they can offer each child a session of at least three hours per day.

To find out which childcare providers are able to offer funded childcare places please contact the Family Information Service on 01384 814398/9

If you want further information about funded two, three and four-year-old places please contact the Dudley Childcare helpline on 01384 814291.

Time for twos - working parents

15 hours funded childcare has been extended and is now available for eligible working parents of two-year olds as well as families on certain benefits.

If your child turns two before 31 March you can apply for a place now to start in April 2024.

Here are a few things about the funded hours that’s good to know:

• You can use 15 and 30 hours childcare alongside other childcare schemes such as Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit Childcare.

• You can use your hours at up to two different providers per day, and hours can be accepted at a variety of childcare providers, including nurseries, childminders, and preschools.

• Some providers will allow you to ‘stretch’ your childcare hours across more weeks throughout the year, by using fewer hours each week, giving you more flexibility.

To find out more see the useful information for parents below and read the Education Hub article on how to claim 15 hours funded childcare, including how to get your code.

Benefits of early education

Early education offers so many benefits to children, including developing their social skills like sharing, turn taking and making and playing with friends; this helps children become ready for school. Parents and carers also benefit as it gives them time to themselves, to work, to train or look for work or access training that might lead to work.

If you would like to find out more about the benefits of your two year old attending childcare, please take a look at the following short film kindly produced and shared with us by Wandsworth Council.