Wraparound Childcare (WAC) Overseas Offer - Available from January 2025

Eligible working parents (at least one of whom is a member of the Armed Forces) with children aged between 4-11 years old (4-16 years old if in receipt of certain disability benefits) in school (including home educated children) will be able to claim back the costs of regulated wraparound childcare for a maximum of 20 hours per week, per eligible child, during term time. 

Tots of Fun session on the 28th November 2024 between 09:30 and 11:00

 

Get ready for a Wraparound Childcare (WAC) expansion to some overseas locations. Coming spring term 2025

 Are you assigned to a location within the European Economic Area & Switzerland (EEA&S) or using Defence Children Services (DCS) before and after school childcare provision? WAC Overseas will be available to eligible families in these areas from 6 January 2025.

What is Wraparound Childcare funding?

The Wraparound Childcare (WAC) scheme provides funding for up to 20 hours per week, per child, during term time, to eligible Service families with children aged 4 to 11 years old (4-16 years old if receiving Government disability allowances) who are in full time education in school or being home educated. Over 7,000 Service children's before and after school childcare is currently being funded by WAC.

Army Families Federation – Childcare Survey

 “We want to understand how issues such as availability and cost affect your family, and how your experience varies by location, so we've launched a short survey that runs until 6 December".

Link to survey

Learn more about the SSAFA eRedbook support for parents

 

Little Troopers announces Christmas Smiles plans for December

 

NDNA Childcare Works supported employment programme - starts next week!

Are you a spouse/ partner of a serving military personnel or a reservist?

Are you interested in career in childcare but don't know where to start?

Then the Childcare Works project could be for you.

Act quick as the project starts on 22nd October and there are only a couple of spaces left!

Contact Lesley.williams@ndna.org.uk or call on 07718 803652.

Over £380K awarded to Early Years provision for Service families

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (The Trust) have awarded funding worth over £380,000 to a further 12 fantastic projects supporting Service children in the latest round of the Early Years programme!

These projects are set to help enhance early childhood education and childcare to better support the unique needs and challenges of young children from Armed Forces families.

Dedicated resources for Service children across the UK Part of the MOD’s Armed Forces Families Fund, the Early Years programme supports initiatives that help Armed Forces families access good quality early childhood education and childcare provision. 

This will enhance capacity, allowing more Service children to enrol, create improved learning environments, and offer suitable training for staff development to address the unique challenges faced by Service children.

Funded Early Years Childcare Overseas – Briefing Note

FUNDED EARLY YEARS CHILDCARE - OVERSEAS

Assigned overseas with young children? Find out if you can benefit from an expansion to funded childcare.

The Ministry of Defence have expanded the childcare offer for families assigned overseas with 9 months – 4-year-old children, to reflect the offer available in England. 

Early Years funded childcare overseas and definitions of funded universal childcare, working families and additional working families entitlement:

Wraparound Childcare – families Q&A session with the WAC team 17th Sept

 

Do you have a WAC question? Ask the WAC team.

Have you registered for WAC but still have questions? Are you eligible but haven’t yet registered? Are you unsure of the registration and claims process?

The WAC team are here to answer your questions.

Tuesday 17 September 13:00-14:00

Book your space now, complete the MS Form to receive a link to the Q&A session Family Q&A with the Wraparound Childcare Team (office.com)

What is this Q&A session for?

This session is the latest in a series of Q&As that have been held since WAC became available to eligible Service families and will aim to answer any queries that families currently have.

Where to find further information

Service personnel can access FAQs and more information on the Defence Childcare Information Page on defnet or Defence Connect

Families can find more information and FAQS on the Discover My Benefits Army, RAF, Navy or Marines webpage (www), or the HIVEs, RN FPS and Families Federations information sites.

Expansion to Funded Childcare for UK Families Deployed Overseas

From September 2024 eligible families assigned overseas will have access to funded childcare hours for their children aged from 9 months old.

Defence have expanded the childcare offer for families assigned overseas with 9 months – 4-year-old children, to match the entitlement in England.

Don’t Miss out on Wraparound Childcare in the new Autumn Term

Are you eligible to claim WAC funding?

 
Join more than 5000 Service families who are currently benefitting from claiming up to £3,400, per child per year, of before and after school childcare costs.

What is Wraparound Childcare (WAC)?

The WAC scheme provides funding for up to 20 hours per week, per child, during term time, to eligible Service families with children aged 4 to 11 years old (4-16 years old if in receipt of disability allowances), who are in full time education in school or being home educated in the UK. Over 7000 Service children's before and after school childcare is currently being funded by WAC.

Wraparound childcare is also known as ‘Out of School care’ in Wales and ‘School Age Childcare’ in Scotland.