FIS: Funding for 2 Year Olds

Aims of the funding: 

  • To deliver an offer of free childcare provision to the most disadvantaged two year olds in Wirral - for 2011/12 Wirral are offering up to 10 free hours per week to children who have been identified following the referral/decision making process shown below.
  • To improve outcomes and narrow the gap in educational achievement between disadvantaged children and other children in the Local Authority.
  • To improve outcomes for parents, signposting them to services and supporting them as appropriate.

Referral/Decision making Process

  • Health Visitors and Family Support/Outreach Workers complete a Two Year Old Funding Application Form with the family.
  • The Application Form is then taken to the Two Year Old Funding Panel Meeting which takes place once a term and a panel of professionals review all applications received.
  • The panel has set criteria which the applications are compared against to identify the most disadvantaged two year olds in Wirral – as an overview the criteria includes teenage mothers, lone parents, families who have experienced domestic/substance abuse, children with speech and language needs, developmental or learning delay and children with disabilities.
  • Following the panel, letters are sent to all families who have been referred to let them know the outcome of the panels decision.

Successful Applications 

  • Once the parent has received their letter confirming a place has been offered, they will be provided with a list of Nursery Providers who are signed up to offer two year funded places. 
  • Parents will contact their preferred Provider and book their child in a funded place from the beginning of the term.
  • On the first visit to the nursery the parent must take a copy of their confirmation of funding letter and complete some paperwork with the nursery selected.
  • Once a child is on two year old funding this child will stay in their allocated place until they turn three and start accessing their three year old funding.

Unsuccessful Applications

  • Unfortunately not all applications received are eligible for a funded place and some parents will receive a letter to confirm that their application has been unsuccessful. 
  • The panel may make recommendations that other services/support be offered to the child and/or family and such arrangements will be made following the panel meeting.