Childcare and Early Years options
There are a number of choices for childcare and Early Years care, including nurseries, nannies or au pairs and childminders:
Nurseries – these can be on a base or in civilian communities and places can often be in short supply – you are advised to get your name on any waiting lists as early as possible.
Nannies – may be qualified but Au pairs are not necessarily and you should investigate each option carefully. Both can live in, however if you are in SFA you will need to inform DIO that you have someone living in.
Childminders – should be registered and inspected, often providing care in their own homes.
Help finding childcare
Childcare provision close to base
A HiVE will often have information on local providers – especially those on base.
Finding Childcare further afield
Across the UK, these are sites that can help you to find childcare:
In different locations there are different inspectorates and sites to help:
Government childcare schemes
Do you know what help you are entitled to with childcare? Whether you have a toddler or teen you could get help with childcare costs from the Government.
Childcare Choices Website
There are a number of schemes to assist working families with the costs of childcare. Visit Childcare Choices for information on Government help with the cost of childcare for parents to help you consider which scheme best suits your circumstances.
Funded Early Years Education
Government funded Early Years education is available across the UK for three and four year olds, and in some cases for two years olds. The following sites will explain what is on offer and any eligibility criteria:
Wraparound childcare (WAC)
From Autumn 2022, the Wraparound childcare (WAC) scheme was rolled out across the UK by Defence – known as ‘Out of School care’ in Wales and ‘School Aged Childcare’ in Scotland.
The WAC scheme will help eligible Service families with children aged 4 to 11 years old who are in school or being home schooled in the UK. Families can claim for up to 20 hours per week of funding for each child attending before and after school care during term time.
How do eligible Service families claim WAC funding?
To benefit from the WAC scheme, personnel must complete five steps in sequential order. These steps and their related resources (including an eligibility flowchart and Frequently Asked Questions booklet) are available through:
- RAF Discover my Benefits online
- Defence Childcare Portal on defnet or Defence Connect
Wraparound Childcare Update July 2023
Full Time Reserve Service (all commitment types) and personnel Serving overseas unaccompanied voluntarily with family remaining in the UK will be eligible to claim from autumn 23 (so long as other criteria are met). Check Discover My Benefits for more information over the summer.
If you have any questions or concerns about WAC, please contact the MOD Wraparound Childcare Implementation and Policy Team via email at: [email protected].
Tax-Free Childcare scheme
Tax-Free Childcare(TFC) replaced the Childcare Voucher Scheme in April 2018 (unless you opted to remain in the voucher scheme).
For eligible families, TFC offers to cover 20% of childcare costs (up to £2,000 per child, per year), for children up to the age of 12.
TFC eligibility
The scheme is open to almost two million families in the UK and is delivered by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). As well as full-time employees working for an employer, for the first time, it will cover you if you are:
- Self employed
- Working part time
- On maternity, paternity or adoption leave
- Starting your own business
The scheme is available in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The Coram Family and Childcare Childcare Survey 2020 provides an excellent glossary comparing childcare support schemes across the Uk (page 9).
TFC Overseas
Whilst overseas, TFC can only be used at nurseries or childminders that are MOD provided (regulated and inspected).
If you are eligible for TFC and you are assigned to an overseas location within the European Economic Area (and Switzerland) where there is no access to MOD provided schools and nurseries, you will be able to claim the TFC top-up using a manual process.
Armed Forces Families and Safeguarding (AFFS) worked with HMRC to allow for an application to be made with data then being transferred securely to HMRC for eligibility checking and processing of refunds.
2022DIN01-102 Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) Scheme for eligible working parents (Service personnel) has now been published, this includes the application form for the manual process.
Personnel without internal SharePoint access should contact [email protected] to request a copy of the application form.
Overseas Early Years childcare
The MOD have information on childcare for Service children in the UK and overseas. The information includes details of MOD provision overseas which mirrors, where possible in MOD provided settings, entitlement in England i.e. parents with children aged 3 or 4 can access 15 or 30 hours free childcare (depending on eligibility).
Where no MOD nursery provision is available, parents can claim a reimbursement for 15 or 30 hours by means of the Overseas Nursery Authority (previously called Overseas Nursery Allowance). Serving Personnel will need to access DIN reference number 2020DIN01-046 on defnet.
This leaflet about the entitlement to free childcare includes details of MOD funding for childcare overseas and differences across the devolved nations.
If you are moving home from overseas you will need to get a new code to access free childcare and there is also guidance available on this. Parents returning from overseas will need to contact childcarechoices.gov.uk to obtain a new code.
HMRC helpline: 0300 123 4097
