Childcare
Introduction
Finding suitable childcare for your children can be tricky, but there are lots of ways to help you find different types of childcare in your area. If you are looking to put your child into childcare for the first time or are due to move and need to change childcare setting, we advise that you identify suitable childcare options as soon as possible and establish if there are spaces or whether there is a waiting list. We recommend putting your child’s name down for a place or onto a waiting list as soon as your child is born or as soon as you have had a move confirmed.
If you are moving be sure to give your current nursery/childcare setting plenty of notice that you are leaving so that you do not incur any additional costs. If you claim the government funded free hours for 3-4 year olds you will also have to change the details of the setting that you are claiming from.
Find out more about childcare for Service children.
Each local authority is responsible to ensuring that there is enough suitable childcare provision in their area. Most local authorities have a childcare directory on their council websites which will list all of the OFSTED registered local nurseries, preschools, childminders and playgroups.
Local childcare services and directories can be found via the search facility on the GOV.UK site:
- Find nursery school place
- Find registered childminder
- Find free early education (check your entitlements and within the timings required)
- Find Sure Start Children’s Centre
There are a number of other websites offering support to find childcare options in your area:
- childcare.co.uk is the UK’s largest online, government-endorsed childcare platform.
- Childminders in England and Wales can be located from the Government website.
- Before and after school and holiday clubs in England and Wales can be found on the Government website.
- In Scotland, you can find a nursery or childcare place here.
- The Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) website offers helpful advice about choosing childcare, as well as information for people considering childminding as a career.
Inspection reports for approved childcare providers can be found via the following websites:
- England: Ofsted approved childcare providers
- Wales: Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW)
- Scotland: Scottish Care Inspectorate
- Northern Ireland: Early Years Teams
Approved childcare can also include care provided by a maintained or independent school that is registered with the relevant inspection body. If your child is over 5, the childcare must be outside school hours and on the school premises.
Following positive feedback and a successful pilot, the MOD announced on 21st July, 2022 the full roll-out of the WAC scheme nation-wide. On 1st September 2022, the scheme was officially launched.
Details
- This scheme will help eligible Service families with children aged 4 to 11 years, who are in school or being home schooled in the UK.
- Eligible families can claim up to 20 hours per week of funding for each child that is attending before and after school care during term time.
- WAC is known as ‘Out of School care’ in Wales and ‘School Aged Childcare’ in Scotland.
Your next steps
- To benefit from the WAC scheme, you must complete five steps in sequential order. These steps are available on the Discover My Benefits (DMB) portal: RN portal | RM portal
- The DMB pages also include a range of resources, such as details on the eligibility criteria, the claiming process and a list of FAQ.
- Also see DIN – 2022DIN01-079 for further information.
Wraparound Childcare (WAC): Did you know? MOD Update September 2023
Service personnel with eligible children aged between 4 and 11 years old can claim up to £3,400 on childcare costs.
Information about WAC can easily be overlooked or misunderstood, so we have created quick tips and key information below to answer your questions and make WAC registration as seamless as possible.
Tax-Free Childcare account (TFC)
Service families need to have a valid and active TFC account for each child before they can register for WAC. Childcare costs must be paid from your child’s TFC account to be able to claim WAC funding. You or your partner can set up your child’s Tax-Free Childcare account today.
WAC registration
The way you register for WAC has changed. The new registration process uses an online form and is easier to submit.
If you already have a WAC registration number (WAC000000) for each child, you DO NOT need to re-register for WAC, as long as you continue to meet the eligibility criteria.
To register, follow these 5 simple steps:
- RECORD your child on JPA
- CHECK if you are eligible for WAC
- APPLY for a Tax-free Childcare account
- REGISTER your child using this form
- CLAIM up to 20 hours per week using this calculator
Children with disabilities
If you receive disability benefits for your child, you may be eligible to claim TFC and WAC until 1 September after your child’s 16th birthday.
Eligibility expansion update
The following personnel are now also eligible to claim for WAC:
- Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel who are on Home or Limited Commitment.
- Personnel Serving overseas unaccompanied (VOLSEP).
If you are eligible, register for WAC.
Capped hourly rates
The capped hourly rates have changed for the 2023/24 academic year, and the amount of funding you can claim may have gone up or down. Check the rates in the Wraparound Childcare DIN on defnet or Defence Connect.
Personal Status Categories (PSTAT Cats)
If you are PSTAT Cat 3, 4 or 5, you may be eligible for WAC. Your registration will be highlighted to the WAC team who will contact you for further information to assess your eligibility. Once assessed, you will be sent an email with the outcome of your registration.
Any questions?
If you need any more information, contact the WAC team at PEOPLE-AFFS-WAC-FRO-mailbox@mod.gov.uk
The government has a website that provides information on of the different childcare support options that are available to you for children aged 0-16. The Childcare Choices website includes information and links on where to apply for tax-free childcare offers. You must use ‘approved childcare’ settings to qualify for help. Click for a step-by-step guidance. Click for an information pack from HMRC.
For more information on what level of childcare support you may be eligible for. Here is childcare calculator.
Statutory Provision
England
15 and 30 hours free childcare for 3 and 4-year-olds; 30 hours for working parents.
All 3 to 4-year-olds in England can get free early education or childcare.
Some 2-year-olds are also eligible for 15 hours free childcare, for example if you get certain benefits.
The free early education and childcare:
- must be with an approved childcare provider
- stops when your child starts in reception class (or reaches compulsory school age, if later)
Scotland
Up to 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare a year (around 30 hours a week in term time), if your child is 3 or 4 years old. You may be able to get more funded hours in your area. Visit mygov.scot for further details.
Some 2-year-olds are also eligible for free childcare, for example if you get certain benefits.
Visit the Scottish Government’s website to find out more and get a link to your council to claim your funded place.
A parents’ guide to early learning and childcare in Scotland was produced by Audit Scotland to help to provide clearer information to families.
Wales
Up to 30 hours a week of childcare or early education if your child is 3 or 4 years old, for up to 48 weeks of the year. In November 2022 the Welsh Government has launched a new digital service to replace the old system where parents would apply for the Offer via their Family Information Service. Find out more and apply for the Childcare Offer for Wales.
Northern Ireland
Visit NI Direct for information on tax-Free Childcare or childcare vouchers.
MOD Childcare vouchers
The MOD Childcare vouchers are available to Service personnel. The scheme is now closed to new entrants. For those that are already registered it enables you to convert part of your salary into vouchers before your usual tax and NI contributions are taken. This means that you only have to pay the tax and NI on what’s left, saving you up to £933 per year. Childcare vouchers may affect the amount of tax credits you get. Find out more about whether you would be better off taking childcare vouchers, and or applying for Tax-Free Childcare.
Childcare provided by relatives
England/Scotland –
You can only get help paying for childcare by a relative (for example a grandparent) if:
- they’re a registered childminder and care for your child outside your home
- you’re paying them using Universal Credit, tax credits or childcare vouchers
- You can’t get help for childcare provided by your partner or paid for by the free early education and childcare scheme.
Northern Ireland –
You can only get help paying for childcare provided by a relative if all of the following apply:
- they’re in a childcare approval scheme in Northern Ireland
- they care for your child outside your home
- they care for at least one other child that isn’t related to you
If you live in Wales –
You can’t get help paying for childcare provided by a relative.
The Naval Children’s Charity can offer financial support towards childcare costs in times of emergency or family crisis. If you need help with extra childcare support, if for instance one child is in hospital which means you need help with your other children outside of your usual childcare or if your family is experiencing marital difficulties or breakdown, the NCC can help. They are on hand to help you to ensure that your children feel more settled, particularly if moving to a new home or if you are unable to look after them in an emergency situation. They are generally able to respond to an emergency situation within a couple of hours.
Phone: Monday – Friday 0800-1600, 02392 639534
Email: caseworkers@navalchildrenscharity.org.uk
Private fostering (eg during deployment)
Are you are deploying or working away for more than 28 days, and organising childcare with someone who is not your child’s parent? Please check the regulations regarding private fostering. If an individual is looking after someone else’s child for more than 28 days they must notify their local council – failure to do so is a criminal offence. Find out more about Private Fostering.
The law on leaving your child on their own
We have provided Government guidance. The NSPCC has produced a guide to help you to decide when it is safe for your child to be home on their own, and what you can do if they are too young.
In overseas locations, MOD provides services (or access to services) that, so far conform in type, scope and standard to that required by legislation in England (but paying due regard to the equivalent legislation in the Devolved Administrations).
The 2006 Childcare Act introduced 15 hours of childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year for 3 and 4 year olds free of charge. In overseas locations the MOD currently delivers this entitlement through places at MOD-provided settings or through access to the MOD Overseas Nursery Allowance.
From 01 September 2017, there has been an extension of the entitlement and an offer of an additional 15 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year of free childcare for children that are eligible. The additional 15 hours are available to families where either parents are working (or the sole parent is working in a lone parent family) a minimum of 16 hours each per week. Parents each earning £100,000 or more do not qualify for the additional entitlement.
Entitlement
The additional entitlement was introduced on 1 September 2017 across England and is mirrored in MOD locations overseas, using the same eligibility criteria defined under the 2016 Childcare Act above. In overseas locations where the MOD-provided settings have sufficient capacity, the additional entitlement will be provided through those settings, free of charge. Free childcare cannot be claimed when using childminders or nannies. In overseas locations where there are no MOD-provided settings, or where MOD-provided settings lack sufficient capacity, the additional entitlement will be provided through the MOD Overseas Nursery Allowance. The entitlement applies to eligible Service Personnel and entitled Civilians only. The latter means UK Based Civil Servants posted overseas or Specially Recruited for Overseas Service. Fee-paying contractors cannot apply.
Eligibility criteria for the additional 15 hours
The MOD currently delivers, 15 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year, free early education to all Regular Service Personnel, Reserve Personnel undertaking Full Time Reserve Service (Full Commitment) (FTRS FC) and entitled Civilians who are assigned overseas where they are accompanied by their eligible children, through places at MOD-provided settings or through access to the MOD Overseas Nursery Allowance. In order to be eligible for the additional 15 hours of free childcare each parent must be working (or the sole parent is working in a lone parent family) a minimum of 16 hours each per week. These limits are measured for eligibility purposes on average over a period of three months on a reasonable expectation basis. In order to be eligible for the additional 15 hours of free childcare, the maximum income per parent is £100,000 per annum. For Dependants working overseas who pay Income Tax to HMRC or devolved equivalents, confirmation of eligibility is required from their employer (DBS). For Dependants working overseas as Locally Engaged Civilians (LECs) not paying Income Tax to HMRC or devolved equivalents, it will be the responsibility of the local Command through the LEC employer or agency, to confirm their eligibility. Dependants working overseas on the local economy will be required to provide proof from their employer in order to confirm their eligibility.
