As a parent, you may be familiar with the government’s 15/30 hour funding scheme for early years education in the UK. This initiative is a fantastic resource for many families, providing free childcare for children aged 3 and 4 (and in some cases, 2-year-olds) for up to 15 or 30 hours a week. However, unfortunately, nannies are not included in this scheme, which can be confusing and frustrating, especially if you rely on a nanny for your childcare needs.
Understanding the 15/30 Hour Funding Scheme
First, it’s essential to understand what the 15/30 hour funding scheme is and who it covers. The UK government introduced this funding to make early years education more accessible and affordable. The scheme is available for children who attend:
- Registered Childcare Providers: Nurseries, preschools, and childminders that are registered with Ofsted or a childminding agency.
- State-Funded Schools: Reception classes or nursery units within schools.
- These settings must adhere to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, ensuring that children receive a standardised level of education and care.
Why Nannies Aren’t Included
Nannies, unlike nurseries or registered childminders, work in your home and typically provide one-on-one care. Here are the key reasons why nannies are not included in the 15/30 hour funding scheme:
Regulatory Differences: Nannies do not need to be registered with Ofsted to work legally in the UK. The 15/30 hour funding scheme requires childcare providers to be Ofsted-registered to ensure they meet specific educational and welfare standards. Since nannies do not fall under this regulatory framework, they are not eligible to deliver funded hours.
Education vs. Care: The primary focus of the 15/30 hour funding is on early education, which is why it supports providers following the EYFS framework. While nannies provide excellent care, their role is often more flexible and tailored to individual family needs rather than structured early education. This distinction makes it challenging to align nanny care with the educational requirements of the funding scheme.
Setting-Based Care: The funding is designed to support settings that cater to groups of children, such as nurseries and preschools, which can provide a structured learning environment. Nannies typically care for children in the family home, a setting that the government does not target for this specific type of educational funding.
The Implications for Parents
If you rely on a nanny for childcare, it’s important to understand that while you cannot access the 15/30 hour funding directly, there are other ways to make your childcare more affordable:
Tax-Free Childcare: You can receive up to £2,000 per child per year (or £4,000 for a disabled child) towards childcare costs, including nanny fees, through the Tax-Free Childcare scheme.
Childcare Vouchers: If you’re enrolled in an employer’s childcare voucher scheme (which is closed to new entrants), these can be used to pay your nanny, provided they are registered with Ofsted.
Shared Nanny Arrangements: Some families share a nanny with another family to reduce costs, although this requires careful coordination.
While the exclusion of nannies from the 15/30 hour funding scheme may be disappointing for some families and nannies, it’s important to recognise that the scheme is designed with early years education in mind, which typically takes place in more structured settings. However, nannies offer unparalleled flexibility and personalised care, which many families find invaluable.
What’s your view? Should nannies be given the choice to become Ofsted Registered and allowed to follow the EYFS in a home setting and become more educational?