Provision of funding for childcare
1Funding of childcare for children of working parents
1
The Welsh Ministers must provide funding in respect of childcare for qualifying children of working parents.
2
Regulations must specify the amount of childcare to be secured by virtue of funding provided under subsection (1).
3
A qualifying child of working parents is a child under compulsory school age—
a
who is in Wales;
b
who is of an age (or within an age range) specified in regulations;
c
who meets any other conditions specified in regulations;
d
in respect of whom a declaration has been made, in accordance with regulations, to the effect that the requirements of paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) are or continue to be satisfied.
4
Conditions specified under subsection (3)(c) in respect of a child may (among other things) relate to primary education (within the meaning of section 2(1)(a) of the Education Act 1996) received by, or made available to, the child.
5
Conditions specified under subsection (3)(c) in respect of a child may also relate to a parent of the child, or a partner of a parent of the child, including (among other things) to paid work carried out by a parent or a partner.
6
Provision made under subsection (3)(d) in respect of a declaration may (among other things) include provision about when a declaration is to be made, the duration of a declaration, and conditions that are to be met by a person making a declaration.
7
Regulations may make provision, for the purposes of this section, about—
a
circumstances in which a child is, or is not, to be regarded as being in Wales;
b
circumstances in which a person is, or is not, to be regarded as another person's partner;
c
circumstances in which a person is, or is not, to be treated as carrying out paid work.
8
For the purposes of this section, “parent”, in relation to a child, includes—
a
any individual who has parental responsibility (within the meaning of the Children Act 1989 (c. 41)) for the child;
b
any individual who has care of the child.
9
References in this section to regulations are to regulations made by the Welsh Ministers.