This page provides links and information on childcare and early years funded places. This includes how to find childcare, help with childcare costs and setting up as a childcare provider.

Our partner site, MyLifeWarrington.co.uk can be used to find childcare by typing childcare in the keyword box at the top of the page and your postcode in the box to the right of this.

Types of Childcare

There are lots of different types of childcare on offer which you can mix and match to fit within your working hours, study or training. Information on the different types and what to consider when choosing childcare can be found on MyLifeWarrington.co.uk

Existing childcare support to working families is changing from April 2024. The phased approach will see most working families with children under the age of 5 entitled to 30 hours of childcare support. Families of primary school aged children will also be able to access formal childcare before and after the school day between the hours of 8am and 6pm.

Things to consider when choosing childcare

Paying for Childcare

There are number of different funded places that families can access to support them with the costs of childcare.

Families who receive additional support from the government, can get 15 hours of childcare for their child from the term following their child’s second birthday. They can also get 15 hours of childcare for their three year old under the universal offer. For two year old funding, parents need to apply for a funded place at warrington.gov.uk/twoyearfunding

For families who wish to access the universal 15 hours only for their three year old, they can contact their chosen childcare provider directly – as no application is needed.

All Early Education is for 38 weeks of the year – term time only. Some childcare providers let families ‘stretch’ their hours over a longer period. This means families get less hours a week, over more weeks of the year. Talk to your chosen childcare provider about

What they can provide and how it can work for you.

Families applying for the working families support with the cost of childcare should apply directly through a childcare account held with HMRC and apply the school term before their child is old enough to access their entitlement. Successful applications will receive an eligibility code, usually starting with the digits 50…and this needs to be provided to your chosen childcare provider, by the 31st of the month prior to accessing the entitlement. Failure to do so, or applying after the cut off date for the relevant term will result in the family not being able to access their entitlement until the following school term.

Once an applications has been successful, families must re-confirm their eligibility every 13 weeks to continue to access their entitlement. Failure to do so will result in the funded hours being withdrawn and the families will be expected to pay for any hours used with their provider at the childcare providers private fee paying rate.

When to apply

*or through Warrington Early Years Funding if families receives additional support from the government and applying for 15 hours for 2 year olds.

To check your eligibility and complete an application to receive your eligibility code to access 30 hours of funded childcare, go to the Childcare Choices website at childcarechoices.gov.uk.

{Payload}