Extending 30 hours free childcare to children in foster care
Some children in foster care may be entitled to up to 30 hours of childcare for 38 weeks of the year giving foster families the same support as other working families.
This is an additional 15 extended hours of childcare to support working families and is on top of the 15 hours universal entitlement for all 3 and 4 year olds in England.
Apply for 30 hours free childcare for looked after children in early years
Eligibility
Children in foster care who are aged 3 or 4 years old will be able to receive 30 hours free childcare, if the following criteria are met:
Accessing the extended hours is consistent with the child’s care plan; and
- Where there is a single foster parent family, the foster parent is engaging in paid work outside their role as a foster parent; or
- Where there are two foster parents in the same fostering household, both are engaging in paid work outside their role as a foster parent.
If you think you are eligible for this funding, please speak to the child’s social worker in the first instance to confirm that accessing the extended hours is consistent with the child’s care plan.
Foster parents applying for 30 hours for their birth children should continue to use the Childcare Service on www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.