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Care to Learn: your application sorted

"Doing a course gave me the confidence to believe in myself."

Julie, 18

Apply for Care to Learn as soon as you decide what you want to do. In particular, make sure you begin learning before you reach your 20th birthday if you want to benefit from the scheme.

Applications are fast and easy - however, if you need help, either contact:

• your Connexions Personal Adviser
• your college, school or training provider
• Sure Start

For general information about who qualifies for Care to Learn, contact the Care to Learn Helpline on 0800 121 8989

• Contact your Connexions Personal Adviser (opens new window)
• Find out more about Sure Start (opens new window)
• Contact the Care to Learn helpline

Before you apply

Before you apply for Care to Learn, check that you’re eligible by looking at the list on the page, ‘Care to Learn: do you qualify'.

When you apply, you’ll need to know the learning you’re applying for, and the childcare you’re planning on using. However, your place on the course does not need to be confirmed.

For more information, follow the below links.  

• Care to Learn: help with childcare while you learn
• Care to Learn: do you qualify?

Completing the Care to Learn application form

"It's much easier going to school knowing that my daughter is happy and well looked after."

Katie, 16

To apply, you need to download and complete an application form. Ask your Connexions Adviser, parent, carer or other adviser to help with this.

The form must be completed and signed by:

• you
• your learning provider (school, college or training provider) 
• your childcare provider

You will need to take your child’s birth certificate, or your child benefit book, for the learning provider to photocopy.

The childcare provider will also need to submit a copy of their OfSTED registration certificate with the application.

• Download a Care to Learn application form (PDF, 408K)
• Help with PDF files

What happens after you apply

“Now we can both look forward to a better future.”

Rhiann, 18

When the Care to Learn team get your signed form they will check that it is fully completed.

If it is, they will write to you within five working days to notify you and your childcare provider of the payments that they will receive and when they will get them.

They will also tell you how much travel support will be paid to the first learning provider on your form to help with your transport costs.

If you do not provide the information needed to approve the application, it will be returned to you with a request for the missing information. This request may come by email (if you have given an email address) or be sent to you in the post.

If your circumstances change

If any of the following circumstances have changed, you will need to complete the ‘Change of Circumstances’ Form:

• your address
• childcare provision or extra hours needed to cover extra learning 
• costs of travelling to childcare provider 
• learning programme
• number of hours attending learning – you may have forgotten to include private study, time to revise and take exams

You may need to give one month’s notice to your childcare provider before leaving.

• Download a Care to Learn change of circumstances form (PDF, 656K)

Where to send your form

Send Care to Learn application and change of circumstances forms to:-

Learner Support Service, PO Box 4120, Sunlight House, Suite 301, 3rd Floor, Quay Street, Manchester, M3 3JZ