Care to Learn is a national scheme which provides support for childcare and related transport costs to enable young parents to attend education.  It provides non-income assessed support for childcare and associated travel costs of up to £160 a week (£175 in London) for young parents in education and un-waged training in England.

 
 What plans do you have for Care to Learn from 2012?

The Department for Education will continue to provide childcare support to all parents in England who are under 20 when they start a course in the academic year 2011/12 until they complete that course. Care to Learn will continue beyond this academic year.

As we move towards the raising of the participation age, to 17 in 2013 and to 18 in 2015, we expect more teenage parents to be participating in education or training. We want to continue to support them. We need, therefore, to consider what changes to Care to Learn might be necessary from September 2012, to ensure that support reaches those who most need it.

The Department is carrying out a nine week consultation on some changes to the scheme that will ensure its sustainability into the future. We are consulting on four options:

  • moving to a discretionary fund
  • changes to the maximum weekly rates payable
  • linking support to income
  • changes to the age criteria.

You are invited to take part in the consultation which will be available on www.education.gov.uk/consultations from 26 August and ends on 28 October 2011.

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 Are you making any changes to the eligibility?

The Department is carrying out a nine week consultation on the scheme so we can consider the options for changes to Care to Learn from September 2012. The options involve possible changes to eligibility. You are invited to take part in the consultation which will be available at www.education.gov.uk/consultations from 26 August and ends on 28 October 2011.

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 How many young people will receive support through Care to Learn?

By the end of the Spending Review period we estimate that Care to Learn will support about 9,000 young people a year to continue their education or training.

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