Care to Learn financial support Care to Learn funding | Nacro
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Children playing during childcare

Care to Learn financial support

What is Care to Learn?

Care to Learn funding is available to support eligible young parents (defined as those aged under 20) to continue in education after the birth of a child. In addition to making an application for childcare costs we can also help with any additional travel costs involved in taking the child from their home to the childcare provider.

 

You can receive Care to Learn funding if all of the following apply to you:

1. You’re a parent under 20 at the start of your course with Nacro.

2. You’re the main carer for your child.

3. You live in England.

4. You’re either a British citizen or have a legal right to live and study in England.

5. Your course qualifies (you must be on a DfE funded Study Programme course).

6. Your childcare provider qualifies with our requirements below.

To qualify, your childcare provider must be one of the following:

  • Registered with Ofsted.
  • Registered with a childminder agency.
  • A school.

They can be a:

  • Childminder.
  • Pre-school playgroup.
  • Day nursery.
  • Out of school club.

Apply for Care to Learn

Fill out the form below

Step 1 of 6

Care to Learn (C2L)

Childcare Application 2025/2026 Nacro UKPRN - 10004486
>Care to Learn: Overview - GOV.UK
  • This application is for help to subsidise childcare costs for eligible learners aged 16-19 whilst on a Study Programme with Nacro. You must be under 20 years of age at the start of your course.
  • The maximum any childcare provider could receive is £180 per child, per week (minus any travel costs if these are required).
  • Care to Learn will pay for travel costs, where appropriate, if these are necessary for the learner to take their child(ren) between childcare and home. Travel costs are only paid if they are additional to the learner's normal travel costs from home to the education institution. The total of the childcare and travel costs must not exceed the Care to Learn maximum weekly amount of £180.
  • Care to Learn can pay deposits of up to a maximum of £250 per child if the childcare provider requires this.
  • Care to Learn can also pay any registration fees that are charged by the childcare provider, up to a maximum of £80 per child.
  • Prior to completion of this form, you must have arranged a place for your child/children with an Ofsted registered childcare provider. If you will be using more than one childcare provider, a separate form must be completed for each provider.
  • Once you have completed this form, we will contact your childcare provider for confirmation of their fees. When your application has been assessed, you and your childcare provider will receive notification of the outcome via email.
  • The learner is responsible for the payment of childcare until we have formally agreed to contribute to the cost.