Charity to help with upfront childcare payments

A Jersey charity will help parents who cannot afford to pay for a new government childcare scheme upfront.

Parents will be able to claim up to £6,270 as part of the Childcare Funding Scheme, which starts this month, for up to 15 hours care a week for their two to three-year-olds.

Eligible families have to pay the fund upfront and be reimbursed later after a budget amendment to pay nurseries directly was rejected.

The Jersey Child Care Trust said it was concerned some people would not be able to afford that so said it would pay the funds upfront for those who needed it.

Fiona Vacher from the charity said it was a worthy investment in the younger generation.

She said: "80% of our brain is developed by three-years-old, so we want all our children to have a really good experience.

"Research is telling us that alongside a good loving home, having some part-time nursery or child minder experience or child care experience is a good thing for your brain development - so this is good news for everyone in Jersey."

The government said its online application form would be available from February and those able to pay upfront would receive a refund within four weeks.

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