Free childcare for children in foster care

Children in foster care aged 9 months and older may be able to get up to 30 hours of funded childcare. This gives eligible foster families the same childcare support available to other working families, where it is in the child's best interests and supports their care plan. 

Who can get it

A child in foster care may be eligible if: 

• childcare is consistent with the child's care plan
• in a single foster parent household, the foster parent does paid work outside their fostering role
• in a two-parent foster household, both foster parents do paid work outside their fostering role
• one foster parent works and the other receives a qualifying benefit
• where one partner is not a foster parent, that partner meets the standard working parent eligibility rules 

There is: 

• no minimum number of hours that foster parents must work
• no minimum earnings requirement 

However, foster parents must have an adjusted net income of less than £100,000 per year.

Before you apply

Foster parents and social workers should consider whether this childcare support is right for the child. 

• There is no requirement for foster parents to work outside their fostering role
• Childcare must be consistent with the child's care plan
• The entitlement will not be suitable for every child in foster care
• Any type of paid work can count, including self-employment
• Children do not have to use all of their funded hours

Other childcare entitlements

• Children aged 2 in foster care can get the 15-hour early learning entitlement regardless of their foster parents' working status.
• All children aged 3 and 4 in foster care can get the universal 15 hours funded childcare regardless of their foster parents' working status.

If a child becomes ineligible for the additional working parent hours, their early years needs will be reviewed through the care planning process. They may also be able to keep their childcare place for a limited time through a grace period.

For more information, email feee@cheshireeast.gov.uk.

How to apply

Complete the free childcare for foster children application forms (MS Word, 577KB) and send it to the child's social worker.

The application will be assessed by the local authority. If approved, you will receive an 11-digit eligibility code. You can give this code to your childcare provider to confirm the funded place. The code can be used with any registered childcare provider, including providers outside Cheshire East.

Foster parents applying for funded childcare for their own children should apply through the Best Start in Life website.

Application timescales

Children become eligible from the start of the funding term after: 

• they reach the relevant age
• the local authority confirms their eligibility 

Apply before the child reaches the relevant age to allow time for the application to be assessed and an eligibility code issued.

You should normally receive a decision within 4 weeks of the local authority receiving a completed application.

Confirming the child’s needs

Childcare must support the child's care plan.

The child's social worker and their manager will decide this as part of the care planning process, taking account of the child's individual needs. 

The social worker must be satisfied that: 

• the foster parent is doing paid work outside their fostering role
• accessing funded childcare remains consistent with the child's care plan

If you are considering this childcare option, discuss it with the child's social worker as early as possible.

Confirming foster parent eligibility

The local authority will decide what evidence is needed to show that a foster parent is doing paid work outside their fostering role. 

Evidence may include: 

• payslips
• a contract of employment or work agreement
• proof of self-employment, such as a tax return 

There is no requirement to prove a minimum number of working hours.

Reconfirming eligibility

Foster parents must reconfirm their eligibility every 3 months. 

The local authority must be satisfied that: 

• the foster placement is continuing
• the foster parent or parents are still doing paid work outside their fostering role
• funded childcare remains consistent with the child's care plan

Complete the free childcare for foster children reconfirmation form (MS Word, 319KB) and send it to the child's social worker before the reconfirmation deadline. 

If eligibility is not reconfirmed on time, the child may lose access to the additional funded childcare hours.