What if a family wants to start a funded place when they are already in their grace period?
Children would not be eligible for funding through the Working Parent Entitlement at a childcare provider if the family are already in their grace period. This includes the following scenarios:
- Where a Parent falls into their grace period before the child starts their place/ their funded hours.
- Where a Parent falls into their grace period whilst their child is attending a provider for their entitlement, and the parent then moves the child to a different provider whilst still in their grace period.
The above is also applicable when a Provider submits a claim for a child who was eligible at the time, but the child entered the grace period later and before starting their funded hours.
In exceptional circumstances, The Council has minimal discretion to extend the “grace period” for a short time, i.e.
- if the provider closes or if the local authority terminates its funding arrangements with the provider
- the parent(s) moves home as a result of domestic abuse or any other emergency situation. The council may need to liaise with the family or parents to verify under these circumstances.
Providers should advise the EEF Finance team in such cases.
*If a child ceases to be a foster child and the parent has been granted a special guardianship order or has adopted the child, the same guidance relating to the grace period applies.
*Parents who re-apply to Best Start in Life after the grace period has lapsed will be able to access the Working Parent Entitlements from the term after an application has been made.
