Childcare Vouchers/Tax Credits

Tax credits are payments from the government. If you’re responsible for at least one child or young person who normally lives with you, you may qualify for Child Tax Credit. (HMRC)

Family eligibility for tax credit depends on factors such as age, employment status, number of children, disabilities & other benefits claimed.  In general, the family needs to earn less than £58 000 combined/year to qualify.

Some employers also give out childcare vouchers.

For a family to be able to gain the tax credits or childcare vouchers, they have to employ a registered carer. The governing body in the UK is Ofsted and the au pair must register with them on a voluntary, home based childcare scheme.

The number for tax credits is 08453 003900, or for more information, please see: www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits

Guide for Families:

1. Contact Ofsted – ask for your au pair to be registered under the voluntary Ofsted scheme.
2. Complete the form sent to you by Ofsted and return it with a valid first aid certificate(¹)
3. Ofsted will conduct a police check/CRB on the person – even if the au pair already has a valid CRB. If the person has lived in the UK for less than 5 years, which is the case with most au pairs, she or he would be required to acquire a good conduct letter/certificate from the embassy (in English or translated in English by an authorized translator).
4. Ofsted will thereafter send you another form (verify form) which you would take to the post office (together with an ID to check your identity).
5. Payment of the application fee – £103 – the fee becomes repayable annually as long as the person wishes to be registered.
6. The au pair is also required to have a childcare qualification from their home country or from the UK which is equivalent to the level 2 or they have to enrol on a Common Core Skills and Knowledge Course (²) by contacting heir local authority. For more information, please call Children Work Force Development Council on 01132 446 311 or on 0300 123 1033
7. The au pair is also required to have personal public liability insurance, most households have an insurance which would not cover the au pair if she has an accident so she would need to acquire on of her own.
8. The duration of the registration process is between 12 and 14 weeks (6-8 weeks to receive the CRB check).

(1)First Aid Course

The certificate must be for a paediatric first aid course – which can be either a 6 or 12 hour course. The family is required to make sure the course is suitable for the Ofsted Voluntary childcare scheme.

(2)Common Core Skills and Knowledge Course

If your local authority does not offer the course then you may contact a training organizer. One provider is MNT Training who runs two Common Core Skills and Knowledge courses. First being a 2 day course in London (costing £150/run monthly). You will receive a certificate and may have an assessment (but this is not required by Ofsted). Second course is a distant learning course for people who are unable to attend in London. The course cost is £150 and at the end of the course an assessment is conducted for proof of completed studies.

Information gathered by Sara Rahmani/Monica from Peek a Boo Childcare

First Aid for Children – Free Seminars by BabySafe

Great opportunity to improve first aid skills for both parents and au pairs!

“The FREE BabySafe seminars have been especially designed to help parents cope with babies and young children in emergency first-aid situations.

Each seminar covers a range of different life-saving techniques including basic resuscitation, what to do if a child is choking, dealing with burns and scalds, spotting the signs of meningitis as well as car-seat safety advice.

The two-hour course also includes a practical session with RLSS volunteers, enabling participants to try out their skills on dummy babies and children.

From November until the end of March, eight FREE BabySafe seminars will be held at select towns throughout the UK. Everyone who attends will receive a free ‘goody bag’ packed with useful products and a free life-saving skills DVD.”

For the dates and locations of the eight BabySafe Workshops please follow the link:

http://www.tesco.com/babyclub/join_now/babyclub_news/baby_safe.page

Special thanks to our Host Mum (Ms. Moyes) who referred us to the programme.

Source: Tesco.com/babyclub

Au Pair Induction/First Aid – 1 Day Course

This is the information about the next first aid course aimed specifically at au-pairs and nannies. It is organised by Peekaboo Childcare and places are limited.  You can book this course with Smartaupairs. Below is the course information.

We run Paediatric Child Safety & First Aid courses.

Next First aid course is held on 13th of September – please call us on 0800 917 81 66 to book now!

All courses are available for parents, nannies and au-pairs.

Pediatric first aid courses
In an emergency you, or the person looking after your child, need to react quickly and effectively.

Knowing what to do could save your child’s life.
We use only highly qualified and medically experienced trainers. All our courses comply with both British and European Resuscitation Guidelines.

On successful completion of our courses, you will be issued a certificate valid for 3 years. The course is recognized by the nanny approval scheme.

COURSE COST:

£100+VAT per person

The course includes:

• Child health and safety
• Personal & domestic hygiene
• Basic Life Support
• Recovery position
• Choking injuries
• Drowning
• Bleeding
• Burns, scalds, electrocution wning
• Meningitis
• Febrile convulsions
• Simple fractures
• Head injuries
• Treatment of shock
• Poisoning
• 999 emergency call ng
• Duration: 6 hours
• Cost: £100

Instructions:

Courses held in our office or other. Please enquire when booking.
10.30am until 3pm approx
We will provide lunch, snacks, coffee.
Please make sure you arrive approximately 10.20am to make sure you don’t miss the start.
Course participants are advised to wear comfortable clothing and we kindly request that you do not wear lipstick as this can stain the training manikins.

First Aid Courses in Kent

Kent Adult Education Services provides a range of first aid courses  – for more information on the courses/dates: Download KAES First Aid Course Schedule

Kindly book directly with the provider with the following form: Download First Aid Request form

Please return the form to: businesssupport2@kent.gov.uk – KAES will check schedule and book a preliminary place on the course for the customer. The customer will then receive a confirmation e mail with full details.

Limited Places for FREE Paediatric First Aid Course in Kent

There are still some places available on the Peadiatric First Aid course in Ashford, funded by the Kent Country Council;

Wednesday & Thursday 16 and 17^th July

9.30 – 4pm at Ray Allen Center, Ashford

To book – please contact

Sue Ricketts

Business Development Manager (Family Programmes)

Kent Adult Education Service

Head Office

College Road

Sittingbourne

Kent ME10 1LF

Direct dial: 01795 415931