Early education funding for children in foster care

In this section:

Children aged from 9 months old who are in foster care may be eligible for 15 hours per week of early education funding (up to a maximum number of hours per term) if their foster carer/s meet set eligibility criteria.

All 3 and 4 year olds in England are already eligible for up to 15 hours per week of early education (up to a maximum number of hours per term) from the term following the child’s third birthday until they start school.

This could mean a child in foster care can access up to 30 hours of early education a week.

Eligibility criteria for foster carers

The foster carer must be in paid work outside their role as a foster carer and earn under £100,000 per year.

Both partners must be in paid work outside their role as a foster carer and earn under £100,000 per year

Or

One partner must be in paid work outside of fostering and earn under £100,000 per year and the other partner must receive one of the following benefits:

  • Universal Credit - 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
  • Severe Disablement Allowance

The approved foster carer must be in paid work outside their role as a foster carer and earn under £100,000 per year and either:

The partner who is not a foster carer is in qualifying paid work and earning a minimum of the equivalent of 16 hours per week at national minimum/national living wage and does not earn more than £100,000 a year

Or

The partner who is not a foster carer receives one of the following benefits:

  • Universal Credit - 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
  • Severe Disablement Allowance
  • Accessing the extra childcare funding must also be consistent with the child’s care plan
  • If the child is placed with carers for adoption, then they 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. If the prospective adopters do not hold the child’s birth certificate, they will need to provide HMRC with the adoption placement order from the adoption agency
  • Applicants cannot usually access the extended funded hours if they are not a British or Irish National. An exception to this is if they have acquired settled or pre-settled status through the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), if they have made an application through the EUSS and are waiting for a decision or if they are appealing a decision on their EUSS application. In this case the Foster Carer(s) will need to provide evidence in the form of 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

Making an application

The foster carer/s should apply to the local authority who is the corporate parent of the child. That local authority will process the application and issue an eligibility code. The eligibility code can be used to take up a place within another local authority area if appropriate.

If the child is looked after by Solihull Council then the foster carer/s should get agreement from the child’s social worker before completing the application form.

Apply for funding

The foster carer must send a fully completed application form to familyinfo@solihull.gov.uk.

The Family Information Service will need to see evidence from the foster carer to show that their household meet the eligibility criteria (most recent payslip, P60, benefits statement etc). Examples of acceptable evidence are listed in Appendix 1 at the bottom of the application form.

For more information about the application deadlines please see our When to apply section. You must apply before the deadlines.

We’ll check that the foster carer meets the eligibility criteria and will then get authorisation from the child’s social worker that taking up a funded place is consistent with their care plan.

If the child is looked after by another council the application must be made to that council (who is the Corporate Parent of the child) so the foster carer should contact them for an application form.

How to complete the application

The foster carer/s should get agreement from the child’s social worker before completing the application form. 

The Family Information Service will need to see evidence from the foster carer to show that their household meet the eligibility criteria (most recent payslip, P60, benefits statement etc). The foster carer must send the fully completed application form to Solihull Family Information Service at familyinfo@solihull.gov.uk. 

The Family Information Service will firstly check that the foster carer meets the eligibility criteria and will then get authorisation from the child’s social worker that taking up a funded place is consistent with their care plan.

The application must be received by Solihull Family Information Service in advance of the strict deadlines detailed in the section below.

When to apply

Applications must be submitted the term before a fostering family wish to take up the additional funded hours so that they can be verified and a code issued, if appropriate, to use the following term.

If you do not apply by deadlines set nationally by HMRC we will be unable to access the additional funding for the child the following term.

To access a place in Completed applications must be sent to familyinfo@solihull.gov.uk by
April term of 2025 24 March 2025
September term of 2025 22 August 2025
January term of 2026 15 December 2025

Reconfirming your eligibility every 3 months

HMRC require that we re-check your eligibility every three months. 

Solihull Family Information Service will contact you termly before your eligibility code end date to check that your circumstances have not changed. You must respond and send the required evidence to us or the childcare funding will stop.

Frequently asked questions

Eligible children can access a funded place (of up to 15 hours per week) from the term after they reach 9 months of age:

  • If a child reaches 9 months of age between 1 April and 31 August eligible children can access a place from the following September term
  • If a child reaches 9 months of age between 1 September and 31 December eligible children can access a place from  the following January term
  • If a child reaches 9 months of age between 1 January and 31 March eligible children can access a place from the following April term

Eligible 3 and 4 year olds can access the extra funded childcare hours (so up to 30 hours per week in total) from the term after their third birthday.

  • If a child reaches 3 years old between 1 April and 31 August eligible children can access a place from the following September term
  • If a child reaches 3 years old between 1 September and 31 December eligible children can access a place from the following January term
  • If a child reaches 3 years of age between 1 January and 31 December eligible children can access a funded place from the following January term

The role of the ‘Designated Person’ is to check that accessing the childcare funding is consistent with the child’s care plan and that the foster carers meet the eligibility criteria. The child’s social worker and an information officer at Solihull Family Information Service will share the role of the Designated person.

Your application will be processed by Solihull Family Information Service within 10 working days of receipt and we will contact you to advise you of the outcome.  We will check the details provided on the application and the evidence provided.  We will also contact the child’s social worker for their confirmation that accessing the childcare funding is consistent with the child’s care plan.

If you have any queries please call Solihull Family Information Service on 0800 389 8667.

When an application is approved the foster carer will receive an eligibility code. They can use this eligibility code to book a place directly with their chosen participating childcare setting (in any borough). The child’s social worker will also be notified of this.

You can visit our Family Information Directory to view:

  • Information on how to choose a childcare provider
  • help with childcare costs
  • our online directory of Solihull funded childcare providers

Solihull Family Information Service would be happy to help if the foster carer/s or social worker have any questions.

Your child’s funded hours are free of charge. The funding does not cover the cost of meals, consumables or additional services:

  • Childcare providers can charge for meals and snacks and so, if you choose to take these up, you would be expected to pay for them. Childcare providers should provide you with alternatives such as supplying your child’s meals and snacks yourself
  • Childcare providers can charge for consumables (such as sun cream, nappies, trips, specialist tuition or additional services). Childcare providers should provide you with an alternative such as supplying your own items, your child not accessing the specialist tuition/trips or them waiving/reducing fees
  • Childcare providers can charge for extra hours so, if you choose to take these up, you would be expected to pay for them. If you choose not to access extra hours this should not stop you from accessing your child’s funded place

You should discuss any charges with the childcare provider you wish to use before making a booking. This will allow you to understand any charges and ask the childcare provider what alternative options they can offer. If you choose to pay for any meals, consumables or additional services, these should be clearly listed on your invoice so you know what you are paying for.

If you have any questions please discuss them directly with your chosen childcare provider who will be able to explain their process to you.

If the foster carer provides the required evidence each time Solihull Family Information Service contact them to re-check their eligibility the childcare funding can continue until the child starts school reception or reaches compulsory school age. (whichever is earlier).

If a child’s school reception place does not start at the beginning of term this is often called a “staggered” or “phased” start. The child will still not be able to access their funded childcare place instead, as it must finish at the end of the previous term once a school reception place has been accepted.

If you are unhappy about the outcome of your application you should seek resolution through your social worker or through our complaints process.