What does the Scheme do for me?

What the scheme does

1. It verifies that the applicant has a suitable childcare qualification.
2. It verifies that the applicant has undergone appropriate first aid training within within three years of the date of application.
3. It carries out an Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure (CRB check) including a POCA (Protection of Children Act) list check. The Childcare Approval Body will then assess whether the CRB check or entries on the POCA list contain information which would make the applicant unsuitable to work with children.
4. By using an approved carer, an employer may be able to access financial support through the childcare element of the Working Tax Credit or through employer supported childcare.

What the scheme does not do.

1. It does not verify whether the childcarer is eligible to work in the UK.
2. It does not clarify the age group they are suitable to work with.
3. It does not guarantee that parents using an approved child carer are entitled to financial support either via working tax credit or employer supported childcare.
4. It does not remove the parent´s responsibility to make sure that child carers are individually suitable to look after their children.

How do I find out more?

The helpline 0844 736 0260 (calls are charged at the local rate or higher from a mobile or public phone) and website www.childcareapprovalschemewales.co.uk

To protect privacy, details of individual applications will be discussed with applicants only.

How long will approval be valid?

Approval will be valid for one year.

How much will it cost?

A fee of £99 will be payable. This will include the cost of the CRB check plus VAT.

Will childcare be eligible for help within the childcare element of Working Tax Credits?

Childcare provided by a carer approved under the terms of this scheme, who is delivering care in the home of one of the children for whom they are caring, is qualifying care for the purposes of calculating eligibility for working tax credits and for the tax and National insurance contributions benefits of using employer supported childcare vouchers.

Childcare will not be qualifying care for the Working Tax Credit childcare element or through tax and NICs savings on employer supported childcare or childcare vouchers if that care is provided by a relative of a child who is caring for that child in the child's home even if the relative is registered or approved.

For more advice on the Working Tax Credit please contact Her Majesty´s Revenue and Customs Helpline on 0845 300 3900. www.hmrc.gov.uk

Can employers check whether a carer has been approved?

Before offering employment or applying for financial support an employer may wish to check that a carer is currently approved. They can do this through an interactive website. They will need the name and unique number shown on the approval letter plus the CRB identifier number. Only the carer and Approval Body know the information.

The only information that will be given is whether the carer is approved or not.