Funding for the Early Years and Childcare Entitlement

The Funding Agreement

The Funding Agreement is the legal contract between the Council and the Provider setting out the terms and conditions of the Funded Early Years and Childcare Entitlement.

All Providers who wish to offer the Funded Early Years and Childcare Entitlement are required to accept the terms and conditions of the Funding Agreement when they become an eligible funded entitlement provider.

Providers will be sent a copy of the Funding Agreement, which they must sign and return to the Council before any funding can be processed. A sample copy of the agreement can be accessed in the downloads section below.

New providers must first register with the Council to provide the Funded Early Years and Childcare Entitlement. Further information on this process can be found in our Becoming a Provider who delivers funded entitlement places in Bolton page.

Funding Agreement for Schools and PVI - Sample copy of the Bolton Council Funding Agreement for Schools and PVI settings

Funding Agreement for Childminders - Sample copy of the Bolton Council Funding Agreement for Childminders

Local information to support the Operational Guidance

This section and the following pages have been developed to help early education and childcare providers understand in more detail the local processes for registration and delivery of funded early education and childcare entitlements in Bolton.

It introduces elements relating to:

• What Bolton Council does to fulfil its statutory responsibilities associated with the free early years provision, including the support provided to parents and children.
• What process providers must follow when registering to become a funded early education and childcare provider in Bolton.
• What providers must do to fulfil their agreement with Bolton Council.
• What providers may wish to do to support parents and children in accessing their funded entitlement.

Parental Declaration Form

The Parental Declaration Form is a contract between you and the parent that states the agreed conditions, hours and patterns of access to the Funded Early Years and Childcare Entitlement (including a record of any other setting they are splitting their entitlement across). It also enables providers to capture parental consent for you to validate their eligibility code. A copy of a ‘model’ Parental Declaration Form can be accessed below.

Model Parental Declaration Form - A contract between the provider and parent that states the agreed conditions and to capture parental consent for you to validate their eligibility code