Childcare vouchers now have a very important part to play in the everyday lives of working families. At last, there has been a true and genuine incentive introduced which generates substantial cash savings for each working parent.
The employer plays a very important part in the childcare voucher process, and the introduction and successful operation of a childcare scheme provides employers with an instant staff retention tool.
Welcome to the section dedicated to the childcarer. You will find here guidance from HMRC about childcare vouchers, and some more detailed notes about the scheme in general.
How the child care voucher scheme benefits child care providers
The child care voucher scheme was introduced to help parents reduce the costs of their child care, whilst encouraging employers to provide incentives for their staff. The third party in the scheme; the child care provider, also benefits.
The vouchers can be redeemed against to costs of nearly all registered forms of child care, allowing parents to cover nursery costs or after-school clubs, or to help pay for a childminder. This not only encourages parents to use these child care facilities, it makes the provider more flexible and able to attract more clients.
In order to receive child care vouchers, the care provider must be registered. This applies to all providers. If you want to be able to accept vouchers and you are not registered, then you should approach your local registering body:
OFSTED, England
The Care Commission, Scotland
The Care Standards Inspectorate, Wales
Local Health and Social Services Trusts, Northern Ireland
Registration is straightforward and, once registered, any of the following child care providers can take part in the child care voucher scheme:
Childminders
Nurseries
Play schemes
Out-of-hours clubs on school premises
Child care provided by an employee of a registered agency, e.g. Nannies
Other child care in the home, provided by a registered person
Child care facilities run by school governing bodies
Child care facilities run by other approved providers
Children who are looked after by relatives who are not registered are not eligible to take part in the voucher scheme.
Child care providers can only benefit by choosing to accept vouchers. The child care voucher scheme is administered by a third party. The provider can redeem the vouchers with the administrative company electronically, and the funds are paid straight into the provider's bank account. This service does not cost the provider anything at all.
From a marketing point of view, being able to accept vouchers will widen their appeal to prospective clients. Knowing that they can use the child care voucher scheme operated by their employer to help them pay their child care costs may be one of the reasons that they choose one child care provider over another.
Date: 08/12/2005
The introduction of childcare vouchers provides a genuine cash saving for working parents, and Fennies Vouchers would like to ensure that the experience of using childcare vouchers is quick and simple, and does not add an unnecessary administrative burden to the already busy lives of the working family.
