11/03/2026
We’ve recently welcomed lots of new and prospective families through our doors and, with the ongoing news and conversations around funded childcare hours, we wanted to take a moment to explain clearly how funding works here at Tummyticklers.
At Tummyticklers, we follow the government funding guidance and framework carefully while ensuring we meet the needs of our wonderful children and their families in a way that is transparent, supportive and financially manageable.
How we offer funded hours
We provide funded childcare across 38 weeks of the year, following the standard term-time model. This means we do not stretch the funded hours across the full 52 weeks.
Some settings choose to stretch the funding across the year, which can reduce the number of funded hours available each week and often results in higher additional charges for parents. If we were to stretch our funding in this way, childcare could become substantially more expensive for many families, including those who currently pay minimal costs or no cost at all for their funded hours.
By offering funding across 38 weeks, we aim to keep things simple, transparent and affordable, ensuring families clearly understand what they are receiving and what they may need to pay.
Consumables
We work hard to keep additional costs as low as possible. The only consumable we charge for is lunch (a midday meal), which costs £3.50 per day.
This is completely optional. Parents are welcome to provide a nutritional and balanced packed lunch if they prefer. This could include anything suitable for your child, from sandwiches to pasta, spaghetti or meals that we can heat up.
We also provide the following free of charge for all children:
• Breakfast
• Morning snack
• Afternoon snack
• Light tea
What parents provide
Parents are asked to provide personal care items for their child, including:
• Nappies
• Wipes
• Creams or other individual care products
Additional hours
We understand that families sometimes need extra flexibility. Parents can request additional hours with at least one week’s notice, subject to availability.
These hours are classed as private childcare and are charged according to our price list and the age of the child. All information about fees is shared clearly during:
• Initial enquiries
• Our parent brochure
• Funding information documents
• Visits to the setting
Any additional hours booked will be charged accordingly.
We believe the way we operate funding ensures families know exactly what to expect, helping to avoid unexpected or surprising costs at the end of the month.
At Tummyticklers we remain committed to providing high-quality care, honesty and clarity for families, while creating a warm and nurturing environment where every child can thrive.
If you have any questions about funded places or childcare options, please feel free to speak with a member of our team — we’re always happy to help.
