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Announcements, NFF News, Childcare, Early Years and Childcare, RN/RM Announcements, Research, Survey Publications

It is with great pleasure that we, at the Naval Families Federation, are launching our 2021 Childcare report. We hope that you will agree with us, that it has been worth the wait and that it will help to shape the future of childcare for the Royal Navy.

 

We are so grateful to everyone who responded to our childcare survey last year. Our report aims to ensure that your voices, experiences and concerns that you have about childcare in the Royal Navy have been accurately represented. In addition to families’ feedback we have included lots of relevant research.

 

The focus of this report is on those aspects of childcare which place an extra burden on households as a direct result of Royal Navy Service life.

 

It is our aspiration that the short and long term recommendations made in this report will inform future MOD policy (including the wraparound childcare pilot and policy), as well as Royal Navy and wider Royal Navy charitable support.

 

To read the full report, please download the interactive PDF here.

 

Posted on: 27th January, 2021
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NFF News, Childcare, RN/RM Announcements, Surveys

 

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Sincere thanks to everyone who generously gave their time to respond to our childcare survey. The survey is now closed. We will keep you updated via our website and social media channels once the final report becomes available. We will take your thoughts and concerns to the government and the Chain of Command to inform change.

 

If you missed the survey deadline, please email us at contactus@nff.org.uk as we would still like to document your ‘lived experience’ about this and any other issues that concern you.

 

 

You may recall that the NFF conducted a Childcare survey back in 2016.  Thank you for your excellent responses which we collated and used to advocate strongly for change to remove disadvantage in this area. The whole report can be downloaded here. 

 

As a result of our advocacy, the MOD has now agreed to consider how Service families can be better supported with childcare.  We now have an opportunity to directly inform any potential changes and decisions and wish the specific needs of Royal Navy and Royal Marines families to be represented.

 

By completing this survey, you will be informing us and helping us to build a clearer picture of the childcare issues that affect you.

 

This survey should take about 10 minutes to complete: surveymonkey.co.uk/r/nff-childcare

 

Posted on: 13th February, 2020
Updated on: 20th April, 2020
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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 here.

Finding childcare

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:
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 here.
  • Before and after school and holiday clubs in England and Wales can be found here.
  • In Scotland, you can here to find a nursery or childcare place.
  • 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 here.
Inspection reports for approved childcare providers can be found via the following websites:

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.

Childcare costs

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 here for a step-by-step guidance. Click here for an information pack from HMRC.

For more information on what level of childcare support you may be eligible for, there is childcare calculator available here.

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)

Find out more and apply here.

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.

Find out more and get a link to your council to claim your funded place here.

A parents’ guide to early learning and childcare in Scotland was produced by Audit Scotland to help to provide clearer information to families.  You can find it here.

Wales

Up to 30 hours a week of childcare or early education if your child is 3 or 4 years old.

For eligibility and more information, click here.

 Northern Ireland

Tax-Free Childcare or childcare vouchers – Find out more here.

Wraparound childcare (WAC)

The Naval Families Federation has been at the forefront of raising awareness of the childcare challenges for serving families since it carried out its first childcare survey in 2016, and its follow-up survey in 2021 (click here to access the report). We are very grateful to everyone who responded so generously with their time and thoughts. You have allowed us to represent your experiences with authority and in detail to the Government, the Royal Navy and other stakeholders.

We were delighted that the announcement was made of a new offer of free ‘wraparound’ childcare.

The pilots were rolled out from September 2020 RAF High Wycombe and RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire were the first bases to offer the scheme, with Service personnel based in Catterick and Plymouth able to access the pilot scheme from January 2021. Applications to these are now closed. The pilot was expanded in September 2021 to include a Lincolnshire Cluster and a Woolwich Cluster (note: applications will close on 31 May 2022). At least 1 parent has to be an Armed Forces Regular and both parents have to be in paid employment. Further details can be found here.

While we very warmly welcome this news, we are aware that wraparound care is only one aspect of this complex issue. We will continue to work hard to represent your experiences and challenges in all areas of childcare. Please watch our website and social media channels for further development of the pilot scheme.

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. Find out more here. 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 by checking here.

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.

Childcare support in emergency/crisis

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.  You can find out more about Private Fostering here.

 

The law on leaving your child on their own

Government guidance is here. 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. Find out more here.

Extended free childcare overseas

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.

Posted on: 12th May, 2016
Last updated on: 24th May, 2022
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