Liverpool City Council - Nursery grants

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Nursery grants

Funded early education for three and four-year-olds

Three and four-year-old children are entitled to 12.5 hours of free early education per week (for 38 weeks per year). Parents can claim for the first time in the term following a child's third birthday. To claim you must place your child in the setting of your choice on or before the headcount date in the term in which you are going to claim.  To find out when the headcount date is held, contact the Nursery Grant Team on tel 225 6232.

The setting that you have chosen must be registered with Ofsted. They should also be included on the local authority list of Early Education providers. In order to be registered with the local authority, the setting must meet the minimum conditions. These are set out by the Department for Education and Skills and Liverpool City Council. 

A list of schools/day nurseries/childminders/playgroups offering free education places may be obtained from Liverpool Children's Information Service on 08000 85 20 22. 

Please see important guidlines and the contract for Nursery Education Grant: Guidance and Contract NEG (MS Word [212.5Kb] opens in new window) 

NEG Update Guidance Notes July 2008 (MS Word [5.2Mb] opens in new window)

Once you have signed with a registered setting and taken up your place by the headcount date, the setting will make a claim on your behalf to the Nursery Grant Team.  If your child is attending a nursery school or primary school with a nursery class, you will automatically receive free funded provision and therefore will not be entitled to make a claim anywhere else.

For children attending a playgroup/day nursery, the grant becomes available from the term that begins after a child's third birthday. Terms always begin January 1st, April 1st and September 1st. 

Currently each child is entitled to receive up to five free sessions of 2.5 hrs. For example - 12.5 hrs per week for up to 38 weeks per year, administered over three terms. 

Parents whose children attend daycare or require an extended day in a school setting will be required to pay for anything over and above their free entitlement of funded Early Education. 

If you require any additional information, please contact 0800 085 20 22.

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