Help for students As a parent, can you continue to study and cope with the costs of childcare? The good news is, there's some help available - from individual universities and colleges, your local education authority and the Inland Revenue.

What's on offer

If your college or university offers help with childcare, it may include one, or some, of the following options:

• A day nursery
• A crèche
• Access to a childminding network
• Out-of-school services, such as an afterschool club or holiday playscheme

You'll need to check whether there'll be a space available for your child when you need it – nurseries are often oversubscribed - and how much it will cost.

If all the places are taken, ask whether your college or university will help fund to alternative childcare arrangements.

Help available

The amount of help you can get with childcare costs will depend on your circumstances and the type of course you're doing – there are different rules for full-time and part-time time students. To find out more visit www.direct.gov.uk

These are some of the options available to students normally resident in England and Wales:

Childcare Grant - available to full-time students with dependent children in low-income households. To qualify, your child must be in registered or approved childcare. If you qualify, you can receive up to 85 per cent of your childcare costs. You don't have to repay this but how much you get will depend on your income and that of your partner, how many children you have in childcare and your actual childcare costs. Apply for a Childcare Grant via your local education authority (LEA).

Adult Dependents' Grant - if you have a spouse, partner or other member of your family who's financially dependent on you, you may be eligible for this grant. How much you receive depends on your income. Contact your LEA for details.

Parents' Learning Allowance - this is available to full-time students with dependent children who receive the childcare grant. It's also available to other full-time students from low-income backgrounds with children. It's to help you pay for books, materials and travel, and you don't have to repay this allowance. Contact your LEA for details.

Child Tax Credit – full-time students with dependent children may also be entitled to claim Child Tax Credit from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). The amount you receive will depend on your circumstances and income. To find out more contact HMRC.

Help from colleges - your university or college may be able to help you with Access to Learning Funds (known as Financial Contingency Funds in Wales). These provide support for students on low incomes who may need extra financial help. You'll need to apply to your college and it'll decide how much (if anything) you get.

If you're normally resident in Scotland or Northern Ireland, see further information (below) for details of who to contact about support grants.

Further information

Childcare Information Service (CIS)
If your college or university doesn't have its own childcare places, contact the your local CIS
Tel: 0800 096 0296
Website: www.childcarelink.gov.uk

The Student Awards Agency for Scotland
Tel: 0845 111 1711
Website: www.student-support-saas.gov.uk

Northern Ireland
Contact your local Education and Library Board.
Website: www.delni.gov.uk/studentfinance

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