Childcare for fostered children

All children are eligible for 15 universal hours of funded childcare.

Children in foster care may be eligible for 30 hours of childcare if it is consistent with their care plan and foster carers are in paid work outside of their role as a foster parent.

What you should do before you apply

Before you apply for 30 hours of funded childcare for foster children you should:

• speak to the child’s social worker to find out if you may be eligible
• if the child's social worker agrees you may be eligible then complete the application form
• once you and your partner (if you have one) have signed, the form must be counter-signed by your Worcestershire supervising social worker
• the supervising social worker, if outside of Worcestershire or from an Independent Fostering Agency, should send this form and a photocopy of the evidence of employment to the Early Years and Childcare Systems Team

What is the criteria?

The following criteria must be met for 30 hours of funded childcare to be awarded to a foster child:

• Worcestershire is the Corporate Parent of the child; if the corporate parent is another Local Authority you must contact them for an application form
• it is in the child's care plan that attending a childcare setting for the additional hours is in their best interest
• all foster parents in the household are working outside of fostering, or if a couple, at least one parent is working and the other parent is in receipt of a qualifying benefit
• the foster parents are British or Irish nationals or have a visa allowing them to have access to public funds
• the foster parents must live in England
• working and earning the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the minimum wage or national living wage but earning less than £100,000 net per year
• non-foster parents within the household must be:
  • working and earning the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the minimum wage or national living wage
  • earning less than £100,000 per year

​​​​​​​Funding starts the term after the child's third birthday or when the application is processed.

30 Hours Childcare for Fostered Children Application Form