Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2016-02-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many state registered foster carers her Department estimates will be eligible for the Government’s proposed free 30 hours of childcare.

Edward Timpson

Foster carers will be able to access the existing 15 hour early education entitlement for three-and four-year olds for both their foster children and their own children. In addition, two year olds who are looked after by a local council or have left care under a special guardianship order, child arrangements order or adoption order are also entitled to 15 hours of early education.

Foster carers will be able to access the extended entitlement for three-and four-year olds for their own children provided that they meet the minimum income requirement. This means that foster parents should be earning the equivalent to 16 hours a week at National Minimum or Living Wage and their income should not exceed £100,000. This includes employed and self-employed parents.

Since foster carers are separately funded for the care of foster children, they will not be able to access the extended entitlement for their foster children. This is in line with the treatment of foster carers under Tax-Free Childcare, tax credits and Universal Credit.