Working parents of children aged three to four are being invited to apply to the Welsh Government's 30-hour childcare offer.

In the Vale of Glamorgan, the Childcare Offer can fund up to 17.5 hours per week of childcare for up to 48 weeks of the year.

During school holidays, the provision is increased to up to 30 hours of funded childcare, allocated at three weeks per term. The offer is open to parents who are working and need help with childcare costs. Their child must be three years old before March 31, 2021. This funding is available until the child starts full time school.

Parents can use the funding in any registered childcare setting who is signed up to the Childcare Offer. For example, in a day nursery, with a childminder or with a playgroup.

Parents must be employed or self-employed and permanently live in the Vale of Glamorgan. If this is in a two-parent family then both parents must be working, or the sole parent in a lone parent family.

Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health, Cllr Ben Gray said: "2020 was a difficult year and we know that many working parents and guardians in Wales faced the additional challenge of juggling childcare, work and home schooling. Now that Childcare setting have re-opened, we're encouraging working parents to apply for the Offer.

"The provision has already helped parents and guardians from all over Wales to return to work, increase their hours or work more flexibly. Others are taking up apprenticeship opportunities to develop their skills, change their job or even start their own business."

Summer term applications will open on 5 February, 2021. Parents who apply and send all the correct evidence by 05 March will receive their funding from 12 April, 2021.

Parents can still apply after 5 March, however funding may not be guaranteed for 12 April and cannot be backdated. Autumn Term 2021 applications, for children born between 01 April 2018 and 31 August 2018, can be submitted from 04 June 2021, with a start date from 02 September 2021.

For parents aged 25 years or older, they must be earning at least £139.52 per week, or £131.20 if they are 20-24 years old. Both parents (or parent) will need to provide three months of payslips or their self-assessment form, (if self-employed), their most recent council tax letter and the child's birth certificate for the online application.

To apply click [L] https://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/en/our_council/press_and_communications/latest_news/2021/February/Vale-of-Glamorgan-launches-Childcare-Offer-for-2021.aspx HERE [.L].