How to apply

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Speak to your supervising social worker and the child’s social worker before applying. If they agree, complete sections 1-6 of this form.

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Once you (and your partner if you have one) have completed sections 1-6 and signed the form you need to send it to familyinfo@solihull.gov.uk with evidence for you and your partner showing that you meet the eligibility criteria. (See appendix 1 for a list of acceptable evidence).

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Once Solihull Family Information Service have verified you meet the eligibility criteria, we will contact the child’s social worker to confirm they approve that the funded place is consistent with the child’s care plan.

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Once we have the fully completed form and agreement from the child’s social worker, we will be able to process the application and provide the eligibility code. The application form must be submitted to familyinfo@solihull.gov.uk.

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View more information about this childcare funding here

When to apply
A child is age eligible for funded childcare from the term after they turn 9 months old. The earliest you can apply is during the term they turn 9 months old, to take up a place the following term.
Applications must be processed the term before you want to take up the funded hours.
Completed applications must be received and processed by Solihull Family Information Service before the termly deadlines set nationally by HMRC or we will be unable to access the childcare funding for you for the next term.

Next steps
If your application is successful, you will be sent an email with your eligibility code from Solihull Family Information Service (FIS). You will need to give this code to your chosen childcare provider to be able to access the funded hours from the following term.
You will need to reconfirm your circumstances when prompted by FIS to ensure you remain eligible. If the reconfirmations are successful, this funding can continue up until the child starts in a Reception class. If you have any questions, please contact Solihull FIS on 0800 389 8667 or familyinfo@solihull.gov.uk

Published: June 2018

Updated: July 2024

September term of 2024

23rd August 2024

January term of 2025

18th December 2024

April term of 2025

24th March 2025

To access a place in:

Completed applications must be sent to familyinfo@solihull.gov.uk by:

Please Note: This form is only for foster parents applying for children in foster care. If you are applying for your own children, use the childcare service: www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs.

Apply for early education funded childcare for child/ren in foster care

Section 1 – about you
Your details:

1.1 Are you a foster parent of the children named in this form? Yes
No

1.2 Do you and the children live in England? Yes
No

If no, speak to your local council about what childcare funding schemes are available in your area.

1.3 Are you a British/Irish national? Yes
No

1.4 If you have answered “no” to 1.3 please tick which of the below apply: If none of these apply you cannot get this funded childcare

☐
☐
☐

Have you acquired settled or pre-settled status through the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) Have you made an application through the EUSS and are waiting for a decision, or
Are you appealing a decision on your EUSS application?

1.5 Are you subject to immigration rules that prevent you from receiving public funds? Yes
No

Title

First name

Last name

Date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY)

National Insurance number

Address

Postcode

Telephone number

Email address
We need this to send you your funded childcare eligibility code

Section 2 – your employment details

2.1 Are you employed or self-employed outside your fostering responsibilities? Yes
No

You can still answer yes if you are not currently working but are on parental leave or sick leave.
You can still answer yes if you are starting or re-starting work in the next 31 days.

2.2. Do you expect to earn more than £100,000 in this tax year (April to March)? Yes
No

If your income is over this amount you cannot get this funded childcare.

2.3 If you are not employed outside your fostering responsibilities, select any that apply to you:

For Universal Credit purposes, I am assessed as having limited capability for work
I receive National Insurance credits because of incapacity or limited capability for work I receive a Carer’s Allowance
I receive an Employment and Support Allowance I receive Incapacity Benefit
I receive a Severe Disablement Allowance

If you get one of these benefits you may still be able to get this funded childcare if you have a
partner who holds additional employment outside their role as a foster carer.

2.4 Do you have a partner who lives with you? Yes
No

A person is your partner if you are married or in a civil partnership, and live together in the same
household, or a couple who live together as if you are married or in a civil partnership.

If Yes: go to section 3

If No: skip to section 5

Section 3 – your partner

3.1 Your partner’s details

3.2 Is your partner also a foster parent? Yes
No

If Yes: go to section 4.

If No: please check that your partner meets the eligibility criteria and can provide acceptable evidence of eligibility by looking in appendix 1 at the end of this form. Family Information Service will need to verify this evidence before they can process your application.

Section 4 – partner’s employment details
4.1 Is your partner employed or self-employed outside their fostering responsibilities? Yes
No

You can still answer yes if they are not currently working. For example, they are on parental leave or sick leave, or expect to start or re-start work in the next 31 days.

4.2 Does your partner expect their total taxable income in this tax year (April to March) to be more than £100,000?
Yes No

If their income is over this amount you cannot get this funded childcare.

Title

First name

Last name

Date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY)

National Insurance number

Section 5 – the child/ren who will get this funded childcare

If you are fostering non-related children who could both be eligible for this funded childcare you will
need to complete a separate form for each child as they will each require a separate code

5.1 Foster children’s details:

5.2 Child’s placement:
Is the child/children placed with you as prospective adopters?
Yes No

If the child is placed for adoption with you then you cannot apply through the Foster Carer’s scheme. (Prospective adopters must meet the criteria for parents accessing the scheme and apply through the national childcare service. More information is available here)

5.3 Child’s social worker details:
Has the child’s social worker agreed for you to submit this application?

Yes
No

Please provide the child’s social worker’s name, telephone number and email address below:

The child’s social worker must be in agreement for your application to be considered

5.4 Childcare provider details:
If the child / children are already attending the childcare setting where you would like to take up the funded hours please provide their name, address and phone number below:

First name

Last name

Date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY)

When do you expect the child in foster care to join a school reception year?
MM/YYYY

Section 6 – Foster carer/s declarations

6.1 Declarations:
I declare that I am applying for this funded childcare, to enable me to work outside of fostering, and
that the information I have given on this form is correct and complete. I am aware that giving false information may result in any offer of early education funding being withdrawn.

I agree that Solihull Council may store and use the information I have provided for the purpose of:

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processing my request for extended early education funding which will include contacting other sources such as HMRC and the child’s social worker to verify my initial entitlement. Processing regular eligibility re-checks as required by HMRC.
offering additional information on support services relevant to me and/or my family.
informing the childcare setting or school attended by the child of their entitlements.

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·
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I understand that:

·
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the Council may use this information in order to detect and prevent crime or fraud.
I am free to withdraw my consent at any time so that my information is not shared or used for future eligibility checks by emailing familyinfo@solihull.gov.uk

Your declaration

Your partner’s declaration (if you have a partner)

Once you submit the form to Family Information Service, your eligibility evidence will be checked and if you are eligible we will contact the child’s social worker to confirm they approve that the
funded place is consistent with the child’s care plan.

We must have verified your evidence and had agreement from the child’s social worker before the
termly deadline to be able to access the childcare funding for you for the following term.

You have now completed the application form. Please email this completed form along with you and your partner’s evidence to
familyinfo@solihull.gov.uk

(Please refer to Appendix 1 below for the list of acceptable evidence)

Your partner’s signature

Date (DD/MM/YYYY)

Signature

Date (DD/MM/YYYY)

OFFICE USE ONLY

Eligibility of foster carer verified

SMBC children’s social worker approval

Eligibility Code

Reconfirmations

Reconfirmation and validity end date

Date reconfirmation complete

Completed by

Evidence seen

Eligibility code

Issued by

Issue date

Social Worker who has confirmed that accessing funding is consistent with the child’s care plan (Name and contact details)

How has this approval been received
(telephone, email, face to face)?

Who has received this approval?

Date approval received

Does Foster Carer meet the eligibility criteria?

What evidence of eligibility have FIS seen (Refer to appendix one to establish suitability of evidence for each carer)?

Who has witnessed this evidence?

Date evidence verified

Appendix 1

Acceptable Evidence

For the foster carer/s
The Family Information Service needs to see evidence that the foster carer (and partner if applicable) is working outside of their fostering role.

Acceptable evidence includes:

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·
·

Most recent pay slip
Most recent P60 if self employed
An average of the 3 most recent pay slips if the foster carer is on a zero hours contract (If required to evidence a salary or to evidence earnings are below the threshold of £100 000 per year)

For a partner who is not a foster carer:
The Family Information Service needs to see evidence that a partner who is not a foster carer meets
the national eligibility criteria. We will need to see evidence to verify that the partner is meets either of the following:

1. Working and earning a minimum of the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum or Living Wage (includes income received from tax credits or Universal Credit) but not earning more than £100,000 per year.

Acceptable evidence includes:

·
·
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Most recent pay slip
Most recent P60 if self employed
An average of the 3 most recent pay slips if the partner is on a zero hours contract (If required to evidence that the average salary falls within the thresholds above).

2. Not working due to having a disability or significant caring responsibility resulting in them being in receipt of one of the below qualifying benefits:

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·
·
·
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Paid leave such as maternal leave or paternal leave Statutory sick pay
For Universal Credit purposes, are assessed as having limited capability for work. National Insurance credits because of incapacity or limited capability for work Carer’s Allowance
Employment and Support Allowance
Incapacity Benefit or a Severe Disablement Allowance.

Acceptable evidence includes an award letter/benefits statement showing that they are currently in
receipt of one of the above benefits.

NOTE – Evidence for both the foster carer(s) ad partner needs to be sent with the application to Family Information Service so that eligibility for a funded place can be verified.

For applicants who are not a British or Irish National
Applicants can not usually access the extended funded hours if they are not a British or Irish National.

An exception to this is if any of the following apply:

·
·
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they have acquired settled or pre-settled status through the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) they have made an application through the EUSS and are waiting for a decision
they are appealing a decision on their EUSS application.

Acceptable evidence includes written or email confirmation from the Home Office. Some EEA citizens may be able to confirm their status on-line.

The applicant must also confirm that they are not subject to any immigration rules preventing them from receiving public funds.

Note – Evidence of this needs to be sent with the application to Family Information Service so that eligibility for a funded place can be verified. Without this we cannot process the application.

Updated: September 2024

In all cases

•	Before making an application the foster carer should check with the child’s social worker (CSW) that they agree that accessing the childcare funding is consistent with the child’s care plan.
•	You as the foster carer need to submit the completed application form and evidence of your eligibility as above to Family Information Service so that we can verify that you meet the eligibility criteria.
•	FIS will then contact your child’s social worker to ensure they have agreed to the funded place.
•	FIS will then process the application and provide you with your eligibility code that you can pass to your chosen childcare provider to take up your funded place the following term.
•	You will be contacted to reconfirm your eligibility every term by FIS, you need to ensure you respond to us in a timely manner so that your funding can continue up until the child starts in a reception place or your circumstances change.