Early Years Funded Entitlement at Just Like Home Childcare
This information explains how children can use Early Years Funded Entitlement hours at Just Like Home Childcare, the session patterns available, and any optional or additional charges.
About Early Years Funded Entitlement
Funding is available for eligible children from 9 months old. A child’s entitlement normally begins from the term after they reach the relevant age. Depending on eligibility, children may receive 15 or 30 funded hours each week for 38 weeks of the year.
Families attending throughout the year may choose to stretch the entitlement across the weeks that Just Like Home Childcare is open. We are open for 51 weeks of the year. A maximum of 15 or 30 hours may be used each week during term time, or approximately 11 or 22 funded hours each week when stretched across the year.
Further information about eligibility and funded childcare is available from the government’s Best Start in Life website.
Our sessions
| Session | Funding arrangement |
| 8am to 9am | May be used with EYFE funding |
| 9am to 3pm | May be used with EYFE funding |
| 3pm to 6pm | May be used with EYFE funding |
Term time funding options
| Entitlement | Available pattern |
| 15 hours | 9am to 3pm on two days, plus 3pm to 6pm on one day each week |
| 30 hours | 9am to 3pm on five days each week |
| 30 hours alternative | 9am to 3pm on four days, plus 3pm to 6pm on two days each week |
Stretched funding options
15 hour entitlement: 8am to 6pm on one day each week, plus five additional days chosen during the year, subject to availability.
Alternative pattern: 9am to 3pm on three days each week. This provides 15 funded hours and three privately charged hours.
30 hour entitlement: 22 funded hours each week throughout the year. This may be taken as 8am to 6pm on two days each week, plus ten additional days chosen during the year, subject to availability.
Alternative pattern: 9am to 3pm on four days each week. This provides 22 funded hours and two privately charged hours.
Additional childminding hours
For children attending our childminding provision, hours used in addition to their funded entitlement are charged at the following rates:
| Child’s age | Childminding price per additional hour |
| Under 2 | £12.85 |
| From the term after turning 2 | £10.00 |
| From the term after turning 3 | £9.00 |
Childminding food charges
The following food charges apply within our childminding provision where food is not included within the booked session:
| Food | Price |
| Breakfast | £1.50 |
| Lunch | £3.00 |
| Dinner | £3.00 |
Kindergarten and preschool charges
For children attending our Kindergarten or preschool provision, the following charges apply:
| Charge | Price |
| Additional non-funded childcare | £6.13 per hour |
| Daily food and experiences package | £5.00 per attended day |
Daily food and experiences package
The £5 daily food and experiences package applies to each day a child attends Kindergarten or preschool, whether their childcare hours are funded, privately paid or a combination of funded and privately paid hours. It is charged once per attended day, not for each hour or session. Families accessing EYFE funding may opt out by choosing the fully funded option below.
The daily package includes:
- Meals, snacks and drinks provided during the child’s booked sessions
- Child-specific consumables, including wipes and suncream
- Optional specialist activities and visiting sessions
- Optional outings and admission to venues, including use of our National Trust, Paradise Park and Blackberry Farm passes where available
- Transport for optional outings using our minibus, including the appropriate car seats
- Additional outdoor, beach and forest experiences that sit outside our standard funded provision
For children using EYFE funding, choosing the fully funded option without this package will not affect the child’s funded place, funded hours or access to Early Years Foundation Stage provision.
Fully funded option
Families who wish to access Kindergarten or preschool funded hours without purchasing the £5 daily food and experiences package can choose a fully funded option, subject to session availability. Parents must provide a suitable packed lunch, snacks, a named water bottle, wipes and suncream.
Children using the fully funded option will continue to receive care and Early Years Foundation Stage provision. Optional activities or outings carrying an additional cost may not be included. Where an optional activity is not purchased, suitable alternative provision will be offered. If a venue requires an admission ticket, parents may choose whether to purchase the ticket.
Registration and starter package
A one-off, non-refundable registration and starter-package fee of £35 is payable when registering with Just Like Home Childcare. The package includes a Just Like Home Childcare orange T-shirt, backpack, boot bag and bandana. These items can be used across our Kindergarten, childminding, after-school and holiday-club services.
Children attending Holiday Club must wear their orange Just Like Home Childcare T-shirt on outings. This safety measure helps staff to identify and supervise children when away from the setting.
Funded-only registration
Families accessing an EYFE-only place may opt out of the £35 registration and starter package. Opting out will not affect the child’s entitlement to funded hours or access to Early Years Foundation Stage provision.
If the family later books privately paid childcare, Holiday Club or another non-funded Just Like Home Childcare service, the registration and starter-package fee will become payable. Where safety clothing is required for a funded outing, suitable loan clothing will be made available without charge.
Invoicing
Each term covers four months. Families are invoiced termly and may choose to make four monthly payments. Invoices will show the EYFE hours used each week and will list any optional extras, food, additional hours or other privately purchased services separately.
Notice period
One month’s written notice is required to cancel or reduce a booked session.