Extra charges
Government funding delivers 15 or 30 hours a week of free, flexible childcare. It does not cover the cost of meals or extra hours and services.
Providers can charge for meals and snacks and extra services such as trips and tuition. They will set their own policy for alternatives to more charges.
Parents can chose to pay for extra hours and services, but this must not be a condition of accessing a free place.
They can charge a refundable deposit to secure the place, but this must be refunded in a resonable timescale.
They must:
- Make sure each child recieves the same quality of support, regardless of paying for more services.
- Be open about any further charges when you first take up your childs free place.
- Make information on admissions criteria and extra fees available to parents
- Ensure invoices and reciepts are clear and itemised with extra costs
They cannot:
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charge parents “top-up” fees. That's the difference between normal charges and the funding from the Council.
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Make parents to pay a registration fee as a condition of taking up their child’s free place.
Providers should work with parents to understand which hours and sessions can be taken as free provision. Not all providers will be able to offer flexible places. Instead they should work with parents so that the pattern of hours are convenient for parents’ working hours.