Childcare support scheme

London Borough of Southwark

In response to one of Southwark’s Anti-Poverty strategy objectives, to

'provide affordable childcare to all parents on low incomes…,’

Children’s Services (Education & Culture) and Southwark Children First (Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership or EYDCP) in 2004, developed a range of programmes to improve the availability of affordable childcare in the borough.

The Childcare Support Scheme was one of the programmes devised under this initiative. The Southwark Childcare Support Scheme is a unique service providing childcare support (advisory and financial) and advice about accessing training and employment to all low-income parents, including lone parents, teenage parents, and refugee and asylum seeking parents at a borough-wide level.

The scheme aims to support parents from the initial stages of considering training through to the first six months of employment, by providing continuity of childcare for parent and child, as well as a support network of local training and employment advisors.

The following services are provided:

Advice in accessing existing mainstream funding for childcare
‘Top up’ funding to bridge the gap between mainstream funding and actual childcare cost
Funding to cover childcare costs for parents who are not eligible for mainstream funding (e.g. funding childcare for asylum seekers whilst they learn English)
Funding for parents, who having completed their studies, need time to find work whilst retaining the continuity of childcare
Funding for up to six months of initial employment to cover up to 30 per cent not covered by the childcare element of the Working Tax Credit
Childcare Matching Service – one-to-one support in finding childcare places to suit individual needs
Referrals to employment & training advisors including Job Centre Plus, Work Directions Reed & Connexions

This project is part of a wider Neighbourhood Renewal Fund programme set up to provide advice and support to those vulnerable groups who are currently not engaged in education, training or the labour market for a variety of reasons.

The project, which includes six new advisory posts, aims to target support at those for whom there are specific or multiple barriers to getting into, or back to work.

Target beneficiaries include those suffering from mental health issues, people with learning or physical disabilities, problems with drug or alcohol misuse, those who lack basic skills, and those who lack of affordable childcare etc.

Quotes from service users:

'My child has been able to go to nursery and this has given him a good start in life. Without your support I could not have afforded to send him.'

'The service has been more than helpful to me. I thought that I would never go back to college but with ‘your help’ I ‘m going back to college. Thank God for that.'

'The scheme helped me to achieve a recognized qualification in Health and Social Care. Thank you.'

(Taken from Parent Feedback Forms, 2005)

For more information please contact Eugene Nixon on 020 7525 3519.


	Home > Good practice > Childcare support
About us Child poverty facts Good practice Childcare affordability Employment services Skillsmatch Childcare support Supporting parents JobShac Links at work Publications & resources News Events Links to other sites	Childcare support scheme London Borough of Southwark In response to one of Southwark’s Anti-Poverty strategy objectives, to 'provide affordable childcare to all parents on low incomes…,’ Children’s Services (Education & Culture) and Southwark Children First (Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership or EYDCP) in 2004, developed a range of programmes to improve the availability of affordable childcare in the borough. The Childcare Support Scheme was one of the programmes devised under this initiative. The Southwark Childcare Support Scheme is a unique service providing childcare support (advisory and financial) and advice about accessing training and employment to all low-income parents, including lone parents, teenage parents, and refugee and asylum seeking parents at a borough-wide level. The scheme aims to support parents from the initial stages of considering training through to the first six months of employment, by providing continuity of childcare for parent and child, as well as a support network of local training and employment advisors. The following services are provided: Advice in accessing existing mainstream funding for childcare ‘Top up’ funding to bridge the gap between mainstream funding and actual childcare cost Funding to cover childcare costs for parents who are not eligible for mainstream funding (e.g. funding childcare for asylum seekers whilst they learn English) Funding for parents, who having completed their studies, need time to find work whilst retaining the continuity of childcare Funding for up to six months of initial employment to cover up to 30 per cent not covered by the childcare element of the Working Tax Credit Childcare Matching Service – one-to-one support in finding childcare places to suit individual needs Referrals to employment & training advisors including Job Centre Plus, Work Directions Reed & Connexions This project is part of a wider Neighbourhood Renewal Fund programme set up to provide advice and support to those vulnerable groups who are currently not engaged in education, training or the labour market for a variety of reasons. The project, which includes six new advisory posts, aims to target support at those for whom there are specific or multiple barriers to getting into, or back to work. Target beneficiaries include those suffering from mental health issues, people with learning or physical disabilities, problems with drug or alcohol misuse, those who lack basic skills, and those who lack of affordable childcare etc. Quotes from service users: 'My child has been able to go to nursery and this has given him a good start in life. Without your support I could not have afforded to send him.' 'The service has been more than helpful to me. I thought that I would never go back to college but with ‘your help’ I ‘m going back to college. Thank God for that.' 'The scheme helped me to achieve a recognized qualification in Health and Social Care. Thank you.' (Taken from Parent Feedback Forms, 2005) For more information please contact Eugene Nixon on 020 7525 3519.