What is Care to Learn

Care to Learn (C2L) provides financial support for teenage parents who want to continue in, or return to learning. It helps with the cost of their childcare and travel.

Who can get help?

A young parent can get help with their childcare if they are:

aged under 20 years on the day their course or learning programme starts;
on a course that receives some public funding at a college, school, sixth form, or a course in their community e.g. at Childrens Centres or other forms of community learning;
on an Entry to Employment (e2e) or Apprenticeship programme (non-employed status);
living in England and meet the residency criteria for the scheme;
the main carer of their child;
using childcare that is registered on the compulsory part of the Ofsted Childcare Register and/or the Early Years Register.

Note: If parents want to apply for Childcare support for courses that begin after they are 20, they should:-

Contact their college or the Careers Advice Service Tel: 0800 100 900l; or
Contact the Learner support helpline on 0800 121 8989.

Young fathers may apply for childcare where they are responsible for caring for their child.

What will we pay for?

Care to Learn will pay up to £160 per child each week (£175 in London)

Childcare that is registered on the Ofsted compulsory register and/or the Early Years Register;
the necessary additional travel costs that young parents face in using their childcare;
childcare necessary to provide for essential private study associated with the learning or training;
fees necessary for a young parent to retain a childcare place during the holidays;
any deposit and/or registration fees that the provider usually charges to reserve a place, up to £250 (recoverable deposit) and/or £80 (non recoverable registration fee); and
a trial within the £250 limit. This might take the form of a session or two with different providers to find the right arrangement for the parent, child and provider.

Please note if a relative is to look after the child, they must be registered with Ofsted as above and also providing childcare for other children.

What will we will NOT pay childcare for:

unregistered childcare, or childcare registered on the Ofsted Voluntary Register;
Voluntary work where this is not linked to a course of programme of learning.
a young parent who is over 20 when they start learning (they should contact their learning provider, the Careers Advice Service, or the Learner Support Service for help;
learning or training that is not publicly funded in full or in part;
students in higher education who have access to a special scheme; or
for young parents already having childcare paid for by another publicly funded source e.g. Discretionary Learner Support Funds, the childcare funds allocated with European Social Funds (ESF)

How will the childcare and travel be paid?

Childcare payments will be made direct to the childcare provider. Payments for travel between home and the childcare provider will be paid to the learning provider to reimburse the young parent.

How many hours must a young parent attend each week?

There are no set hours. A young parent can choose to do part time or full time training or learning. This could be anything from a few weeks to several years.

For help or more information about learning or childcare young parents can call Connexions 080 800 13 2 19. More information aimed at helping learners is available at directgov/caretolearn.

For information about applications and payments contact the Learner Support Helpline on 0800 121 8989 or email C2L@lsclearnersupport.co.uk