Consultation completed.
As part of the Idox Directory Platform, a Funded Early Learning (FEL) module is available as an add-on to a Directory Website. The module allows parents to check their eligibility for childcare funding for 2 year-olds against the criteria set out by the Department for Education (DfE).
This module is sometimes referred to, or known as, the '2 Year Old Checker'.
Announced in the 2023 Spring Budget, the early education and childcare entitlements for eligible working parents in England will be expanded for children aged 9 months and over the following stages:
from April 2024, working parents of 2-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours of free childcare per week (over 38 weeks a year) from the term after their child’s birthday;
from September 2024, this will be extended to parents of children aged 9 months and above.
This article is a consultation with customer local authorities on necessary changes to the FEL module to make sure it continues to support the legislation once the above changes come in to operation.
The following requirements are noted:
Checking a parent's eligibility against the criteria will continue to be handled by the DfE’s Eligibility Checking System (ECS);
Changes of language can be applied, if needed, to the page title, supporting text and date of birth messages;
From September 2024, parents of children aged 9 months can check their eligibility to receive funding. This includes from the first date of the term before they are 9 months of age;
Of these requirements, points 1 and 2 are already included in the current FEL module.
To meet the above requirements, we proposed the following development change to the FEL module and to be implemented before September 2024:
The child's date of birth and the date of the check will be compared relative to when they turn 9 months of age instead of 2 years.
The following is a list of reference materials:
Spring Budget 2023 Childcare Expansion -- Read the published document from the DfE (PDF);
DfE consultation -- https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/early-years-funding-extension-of-the-entitlements;
Childcare Choices -- https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/upcoming-changes-to-childcare-support/
The Education Hub Blog -- https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/07/07/free-childcare-how-we-tackling-the-cost-of-childcare/
Comments and feedback on this subject were requested to be submitted to Jamie Rowell, Head of Product & Strategy -- jamie.rowell@idoxgroup.com
A feedback period was open until 30th November 2023.
Feedback received on the proposed change commented on a potential for confusing parents. This could be the case as the existing module is focussed on the eligibility for childcare funding for 2 year-olds. Extending this to those passing 9 months of age was acknowledged to be unnecessarily stretching the module's purpose.
Based on this feedback, we will not be implementing changes to the Funded Early Learning (FEL) module.
This article, by way of proposal, was sent to designated customer contacts of the Directory Platform who also have the Funded Early Learning add-on module on Monday, 2nd October 2023.
Feedback from customers is requested by 30th November 2023.
All feedback will be considered and the agreed changes will be published by the end of 2023.
The outcome of the consultation was to designated customer contacts of the Directory Platform who also have the Funded Early Learning add-on module on Tuesday, 19th December 2023.
Copyright
Ideas, solutions, suggestions, hints and procedures from this article are the intellectual property of Idox plc and thus protected by copyright. They may not be reproduced, transmitted to third parties or used in any form for commercial purposes without the express permission of Idox Group.
Consultation completed.
As part of the Idox Directory Platform, a Funded Early Learning (FEL) module is available as an add-on to a Directory Website. The module allows parents to check their eligibility for childcare funding for 2 year-olds against the criteria set out by the Department for Education (DfE).
This module is sometimes referred to, or known as, the '2 Year Old Checker'.
Announced in the 2023 Spring Budget, the early education and childcare entitlements for eligible working parents in England will be expanded for children aged 9 months and over the following stages:
from April 2024, working parents of 2-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours of free childcare per week (over 38 weeks a year) from the term after their child’s birthday;
from September 2024, this will be extended to parents of children aged 9 months and above.
This article is a consultation with customer local authorities on necessary changes to the FEL module to make sure it continues to support the legislation once the above changes come in to operation.
The following requirements are noted:
Checking a parent's eligibility against the criteria will continue to be handled by the DfE’s Eligibility Checking System (ECS);
Changes of language can be applied, if needed, to the page title, supporting text and date of birth messages;
From September 2024, parents of children aged 9 months can check their eligibility to receive funding. This includes from the first date of the term before they are 9 months of age;
Of these requirements, points 1 and 2 are already included in the current FEL module.
To meet the above requirements, we proposed the following development change to the FEL module and to be implemented before September 2024:
The child's date of birth and the date of the check will be compared relative to when they turn 9 months of age instead of 2 years.
The following is a list of reference materials:
Spring Budget 2023 Childcare Expansion -- Read the published document from the DfE (PDF);
DfE consultation -- https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/early-years-funding-extension-of-the-entitlements;
Childcare Choices -- https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/upcoming-changes-to-childcare-support/
The Education Hub Blog -- https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/07/07/free-childcare-how-we-tackling-the-cost-of-childcare/
Comments and feedback on this subject were requested to be submitted to Jamie Rowell, Head of Product & Strategy -- jamie.rowell@idoxgroup.com
A feedback period was open until 30th November 2023.
Feedback received on the proposed change commented on a potential for confusing parents. This could be the case as the existing module is focussed on the eligibility for childcare funding for 2 year-olds. Extending this to those passing 9 months of age was acknowledged to be unnecessarily stretching the module's purpose.
Based on this feedback, we will not be implementing changes to the Funded Early Learning (FEL) module.
This article, by way of proposal, was sent to designated customer contacts of the Directory Platform who also have the Funded Early Learning add-on module on Monday, 2nd October 2023.
Feedback from customers is requested by 30th November 2023.
All feedback will be considered and the agreed changes will be published by the end of 2023.
The outcome of the consultation was to designated customer contacts of the Directory Platform who also have the Funded Early Learning add-on module on Tuesday, 19th December 2023.
Copyright
Ideas, solutions, suggestions, hints and procedures from this article are the intellectual property of Idox plc and thus protected by copyright. They may not be reproduced, transmitted to third parties or used in any form for commercial purposes without the express permission of Idox Group.