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Further info

Wondering what financial support you're entitled to, or how you can get help with your childcare costs? Get in touch and we'll get you the answer.

Send your questions to studentparents@thebrightsidetrust.org

What kind of childcare can I claim back under the Childcare Grant?

The basic rule for the childcare grant is that the childcare provider must be registered with Ofsted. For children up to eight, most childcare has to be registered by law, but there are a few exceptions:

• Activity-based care, such as sports clubs
• Care provided in the child's home, unless it is provided by a care worker or nurse
• Crèches provided while you stay in the same area, such as at a shop or hospital, and which run for less than four hours a day
• Crèches which are run on a day-to-day basis rather than offering a longer-term place, and which run for less than four hours a day
• Crèches which run for less than two hours a day

However, these kinds of childcare can be registered with Ofsted voluntarily, so you should check with them before assuming you won't be able to claim the Childcare Grant to cover their fees.

You can also claim for childcare provided by a school.

However, there are extra rules about childcare provided by your family. You can't claim for care provided by:

• your partner
• a relative who looks after your child in the child's home
• a relative who is only caring for children they are related to.

even if they are registered with Ofsted.

If you're studying in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, the rules are a little different.

What information do I need to provide for the Childcare Grant?

There are two main kinds of information you'll need to provide to make sure you get the right amount of childcare grant. First, you will have to give your estimated childcare costs on the Childcare Grant Application Form (CCG1). This is used to work out how much money you are will receive. Later, you will have to fill in a Childcare Costs Confirmation Form (CCG2) with your actual childcare costs. If these are the same as the estimated costs you gave, you won't need to give full details again - you'll just have to confirm that nothing has changed.

On both of these forms, there is also a section to be filled in by your childcare provider. On the CCG1 form, this simply covers the providers' details, while on the CCG2 form they'll also need to include details of the care they have provided and the money you have paid them for it.

You will also have to provide extra evidence when you first apply, including your children's birth certificates and details of any tax credits or child benefit you receive. Lots of applications are rejected each year because of missing evidence - make sure yours isn't one of them!

What funding can I get to train as a paramedic?

I am a parent with a 6 year old and a 6 month old baby. I live with my partner in rented accomodation. I have applied to train as a paramedic. Are there any grants for people doing courses where you will be a public service such as a paramedic?

There are two main routes into becoming a paramedic, and the funding you get will depend on which you take.

First, you can get a job as a student paramedic. This means applying for a student paramedic position with an ambulance trust and doing a combination of study and practical experience over three years. Because you'll be working, you'll receive a salary and may also get benefits such as childcare vouchers. You can look for positions at http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/ or contact local ambulance trusts directly.

Alternatively, you can study a full-time course such as a degree or diploma. These don't normally qualify for the NHS bursary, but you will be able to get the standard student finance package (tuition fee loan, maintenance loan etc.) and, as a parent, you'll be entitled to extra support such as the Parents' Learning Allowance and Childcare Grant.

You can get more information about all these grants in our student finance section, but the basics are:

• Tuition fee loan: covers the cost of your fees in full, and is paid back at a rate of 9% of anything you earn over £21,000 after you graduate.
• Maintenance loan: money to help support you while you study, paid back the same way as the fee loan. How much you get depends on where you're studying and your household income; the calculator at StudentParents.org can help you to make an estimate.
• Maintenance grant: money to help support you which does not have to be paid back. Whether you qualify, and how much you could get, depends on your household income.
• Parents' Learning Allowance: Up to £1,508/year depending on your household income. Doesn't have to be paid back.
• Childcare grant: covers 85% of your childcare costs up to £255 a week, though the amount you get can be reduced based on your household income. This doesn't have to be paid back.

If your partner is financially dependent on you, you may also be eligible for the Adult Dependants' Grant - up to £2,642 per year which does not have to be paid back.

You may find that some ambulance trusts offer to help with course costs, or offer a bursary, but there isn't a national system for this.

What are my funding options when doing social work as a second degree?

I am a single parent with one child (aged 3) looking to go back to university to study social work. As I already have a degree I have two options, but would like to know what funding will be avaliable for each option to help me decide which is most financially viable.

1. 2yr MA Social Work - what funding is avaliable and what are the maximum amounts?

2. 3 yr BA Social Work - what funding is available and what are the maximum amounts?

Also do you know which of the above are counted as income for housing benefit purposes?

For a social work course, you should be entitled to the social work bursary, which covers both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. You can make sure that any course that you apply for qualifies for the bursary with this search tool.

The amount available depends on the kind of course and where you study. On a postgraduate course, you can receive £3362.50 each year if you study outside London or £3762.50 in London. You can also get up to £3,732 towards your course fees, a Parent's Learning Allowance of up to £1508 and a Childcare Allowance to help with your childcare costs - these are income assessed. More details on postgraduate funding here.

As an undergraduate, you could get up to £4,575 outside London or £4,975 in London. However, you would not be entitled to any support towards your fees. More details on undergraduate funding here.

The Social Work Bursary for undergraduates doesn't include the Parent's Learning Allowance or Childcare Allowance, but you can get funding worth the same amount from Student Finance England instead.

On an undergraduate course, you may also be able to get the standard Maintenance Loan of up to £5,500, or £7,675 in London. You pay this back once you have graduated and are earning more than £21,000/year, at a rate of 9% of what you earn over £21,000 each year. As you have a degree already, you wouldn't be able to get the Maintenance Grant or the Tuition Fee Loan.

To sum up:

bursary Allowance

Although it looks like you would be entitled to more funding overall for an undergraduate course, it's also important to think about the fees you will pay. Following the fee increases in 2012, it's likely that the fees will be a lot higher for an undergraduate course, and because you have a degree already you will not qualify for the tuition fee loan to pay them. The extra year for the undergrad course will also increase the cost.

There is information about which of these affect your benefit entitlements here.

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