Are you confused about what the Childcare Offer for Wales is, and not sure about what nursery setting to arrange for your child from September onwards?

Here in Wales, early education is available to all children from the term after their third birthday, but did you know that you don’t have to just use the state nursery at the local primary school? If you are working, you can claim for up to 30 hours of care a week, and here at Osbourne Lodge Nursery we have places available for children aged 3 or 4 under the offer!

So what is the offer?

The Welsh Government offers parents of children who are working help with the cost of childcare each week. The scheme provides 3-4 year olds in Wales up to 30 hours of education and childcare a week, for up to 48 weeks each year. It’s actually a mix of learning (like at a state nursery) and childcare, and the good news is that you don’t need to enrol your child at the state nursery to receive the offer.

Who can claim the Childcare Offer for Wales?

There are a few conditions you need to meet to be able to claim the offer.

• Your child must be aged 3 or 4 years old (or will be before 1^st September)
• Both parents of two parent families must be working, or on maternity/paternity/adoption leave or statutory sick leave
• Parents of lone parent families need to be working, unless they are on statutory sick, parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave
• You must earn a weekly minimum equivalent of 16 hours at national minimum wage (NMW), national living wage (NLW) or apprenticeship minimum wage (AMW)
• Each parent must earn less than £100,000 gross per year
• You may still be able to apply if you aren’t working if you receive certain work-related benefits or have substantial caring responsibilities
• Parents, guardians, step-parents and live-in partners will all need to meet the eligibility criteria in order for a child living within that household to be able to take up the offer
• Foster carers and kinship carers may also be able to apply for the benefit.            

How do I apply?

If you meet the above, and would like to apply, then the next steps are easy.

You can apply online here  http://bit.ly/ChildcareOfferTorfaen

There are a few documents you will need to go along with the application, including

• Your child’s birth certificate or Passport
• Proof of address, (eg a utility bill or council tax bill)
• Your last three months wage slips for you, or evidence of any self-employed earnings (and your partner if you are living with one)

Once you have applied, you will receive confirmation in about 10 days. You will then be given a unique reference number, as well as a childcare booking form that will need to be filled in.You will also be asked to confirm that you still meet the criteria for claiming every term.

When should I contact Osbourne Lodge Nursery?

For children due to start nursery in September 2021, you can apply for the offer from early July, but the places book up very quickly, so please contact us today to take up your child’s place with us under the offer!

If you would like to know more about Osbourne Lodge Nursery, or the Childcare offer, you can find us on Facebook, or call the team on 01495 752234.

To find out more about the benefits of using a private nursery, read our blog here!