Information for parents
The Childcare Offer for Wales provides up to 30 hours a week of government funded childcare and early education for eligible working parents of three to four-year-olds, for up to 48 weeks of the year.
Important information
We are one of the only Welsh local authorities offering full-time Foundation Phase Nursery at schools (FPN) for three-year-olds.
In Bridgend County Borough, full-time nursery education is offered at three-years-old in schools.
Parents are no longer eligible for the Childcare Offer during term time when their three-year-old child is offered a full-time school place. However, they can continue to access nine weeks of childcare during holidays.
When a three-year-old child starts full-time school, the Childcare Offer cannot be used at a private nursery instead of a full-time school FPN. This still applies if you decide against applying for a school place or to turn down a school place.
The offer is a combination of the existing Foundation Phase Nursery (FPN) provision for three and four-year-olds, and additional funded childcare which includes childminders. The offer extends to after school hours, weekends and school holidays.
Eligibility for the offer
To be eligible for the Childcare Offer, you must:
- Live in Bridgend County Borough
- Have an eligible child – see the table below.
- Earn on average a weekly minimum equivalent to, or more than, 16 hours at national minimum wage (NMW) or national living wage (NLW) but less than £100,000 per year.
If you are in a single parent family you need to be working and if you are in a two parent family you both need to be working.
If you are self-employed or on a zero hours contract you need to be able to prove this by providing the relevant documents. The offer is available during maternity leave and to those on long term sickness.
How the offer works
The Childcare offer opening dates are listed below.
Important application dates
September school start dates may be staggered as a result of Covid-19. Please note that the Childcare Offer cannot be used up until your child’s staggered start date.
If you apply too early, your application will be automatically rejected. Please apply once the relevant application open date has begun.
| Date of birth | Eligible from | Eligible to | Applications open |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2018 - 31 March 2018 | 12 April 2021 (start of Summer term) | 31 August following their 4th birthday 2022 | 8 March 2021 |
| 1 April 2018 - 31 August 2018 | 1 September 2021 (start of Autumn term) | 31 August following their 4th birthday 2022 | 5 July 2021 |
| 1 September 2018 - 31 December 2018 | 4 January 2022 (start of Spring term) |
31 August following their 4th birthday 2023 |
15 November 2021 |
| 1 January 2019 - 31 March 2019 | 25 April 2022 (start of Summer term) | 31 August following their 4th birthday 2023 | 14 March 2022 |
How to apply
To apply you need to complete an online application form.
Please do not apply prior to the application opening date.
Before you apply
Before starting your application, please follow the steps below:
Step 1
Please check with your chosen childcare provider(s) to ensure that they have registered to become a provider of the Childcare Offer for Bridgend County Borough.
Step 2
As this registration form cannot be saved, please ensure you have the following information before you start and that all documents are saved as either a PDF or as an image file before starting the application.
- Scan/photograph of your child's birth certificate.
- Scans/photographs of parent's last three months wage slips.
- Scan/photograph of a proof of residency, for example, most recent council tax statement or most recent utility bill (gas/water/electric).
- Arrange childcare providers hours and days
- Employers contact details, including: Address, telephone number and email.
- Scan/photograph of any Department for Work and Pensions letter or current employer’s letter that would qualify parents for the Childcare Offer if not currently in work.
Step 3
Complete the online application form below.
Contact
Bridgend Childcare Offer Team
Bridgend County Borough Council
Telephone:
01656 642649