11th February 2010
At the West Dunbartonshire Council meeting on 28 January 2010, a decision was taken to establish a relief scheme for nursery charges to support families facing difficulties as a result of the increase in childcare charges from 1 February 2010.
The scheme applies to children already accessing childcare within Council run Early Education and Childcare Centres.
West Dunbartonshire’s Convenor for Education explains, “As families with two children accessing childcare will face the largest increases in charges as a result of the discontinuation of the 50% discount, they will be the main beneficiaries of the relief scheme. Some relief however will be offered to all existing users.”
The relief scheme will operate as follows:
Families with two children currently accessing childcare will receive a 40% discount from 1 February until 30 July 2010 and a discount of 20% from 1 August until 31 January 2011. This discount will be calculated in the same way as the previous 50% 2nd child discount. All other families currently accessing childcare will receive a 5% discount on childcare charges from 1 February until 31 July 2010.
Please note that children receiving the 40% or 20% sibling discount will not be eligible for the 5% discount. Only children currently accessing childcare will be eligible for the discounts; all children who start to access childcare after 1 February will require to pay the new charges in full.
