FAQ

Here is our Provider Portal, frequently asked questions (FAQ) page. If you have any questions, please read this document as it may answer them. Guidance documents are available via the Bolton Start Well website

System Questions

How do I get a login for a new user?

If you have a new member of staff that needs setting up, please email one.support@bolton.gov.uk with the name of the user, their email address, a completed Terms and Conditions form that they and a sponsor (manager) have signed, and the names of the provider settings they need access to. Once the terms and conditions have been received, an email will be sent to the user with their username and password, and a link to the portal.

I am unable to login. What should I do?

If you have forgotten your username, password, or security question answer, please click on ‘I have forgotten my…’. If you then try and log in and you are getting an error message saying that your account is locked, please contact one.support@bolton.gov.uk.

Can we keep passwords longer than 6 weeks?

Unfortunately the answer is no. Due to security reasons we need the password to change every 6 weeks.

What if a colleague needs access to eligibility checker but not the headcount?

The terms and conditions form has the different options to select for each area of the provider portal, so if a user only needs access to the eligibility checker, then that is what they select.

For access to the two year funding eligibility checker, the member of staff will be required to attend training – either virtually or in person. Please contact families@bolton.gov.uk if a member of staff needs adding to the waiting list.

How do I reply to a message that has been sent to me?

Unfortunately, there is currently no reply function at the moment. If you receive a message that requires a response, please contact 01204 332170 or email families@bolton.gov.uk.

Eligibility Checker Questions

Rather than the Privacy Notice being read by parents on screen in the setting, are we able to print out so that they can take the copy away once they have completed their application?

No. It is very important that the applicant reads the Privacy Notice before they begin the assisted application.

The applicant needs to read the Privacy Notice before the application begins so that they know how the information they provide will be processed and who it will be shared with. If the applicant is not made aware of the Privacy Notice, then it is against the Principles of the Data Protection Act.

Can we tell up front if a parent has already done a check?

No, you will not be able to see if an eligibility application has already been completed by the applicant. You can contact Bolton Families Information Service on 01204 332170, to see if a check has already been done.

What do we do for out of borough children?

If a parent brings a letter from another Local Authority (LA), complete a non-economic claim using the option Child is from out of borough. In the summary box, input name of the authority. You will be requested to send a copy of the letter via secure email.

If parent does not have a letter, they can either request a copy of the letter via the other Local Authority, or provider to complete non-economic check and the Families team will seek confirmation from the other LA.

Will parents be told that settings can do eligibility checks?

Local authority produced ‘Free childcare for two year olds’ publicity materials let all parents know that checks can be done by Start Well Children’s Centres and ‘approved’ two year old providers.

Please be aware that parents can carry out their own eligibility checks using the online Citizen Portal.

If a check comes back as negative, does this confirm that the child is not eligible for the funding?

Not always. There may an addition message in the red ‘not eligible’ box, indicating that follow up action is needed. This may be because the parent’s details have been inputted incorrectly, or that the parent’s circumstances have recently changed i.e., new benefit claimant.

Headcount Questions

What weeks am I funded for in the financial year terms?

Summer term (1st April to 31st August) – 13 weeks

Autumn term (1st September to 31st December) – 14 weeks

Spring term (1st January to 31st March) – 11 weeks

How do I remove a child from a headcount task?

You can remove a child from the headcount by pressing the X button in the right hand column on that child’s row. However this option is not always available depending on whether this child has been submitted to us before. If it is not available then please enter 0 in weeks and 0 in hours and also end date the child with the same start date for that child.

Please DO NOT attempt to remove a child by overwriting/replacing their details with a new child’s details as this can cause errors within the system

What should I do if I need to make changes after a task has been submitted?

If the task has not gone past its deadline date then you can edit and re-submit the same task. If the task has gone past the deadline date and you need to make some changes, please ring our finance team (01204 337169) and request an amendment task.

How will I know when a task is sent to me?

You will receive an email alert when a new task has been sent by our Finance Department.

What do we do if a child’s hours are split? How many hours should I claim for a child with shared funding?

If a child’s funding is split, you must enter the number of hours they are accessing, not the full 15 or 30 hours entitlement. Otherwise, if two settings enter the full allocated hours, it will come up on the system as the child being over their maximum hours.

You will need to state if you are claiming the universal hours (the parent makes the decision which provider should claim the universal), or the extended hours.

Do I still get funding if a child is absent?

Yes, a child still gets funding when absent, but if the child is absent for a long period of time, you must notify us and put an end date on your headcount.

Should the child’s start date be the day the child started at the provider or the date the term starts?

In the task’s start date column, please enter the date the child started at the setting, not the beginning of the term. For example, if the term start date was 01/01/2022 and the child started on the 09/01/2022, enter 09/01/2022.

If a child has been at the setting since being a baby, what start date we use?

Please use the date that the child became eligible or the universal funding for three years olds, or when they had a positive two year funding check. If you have any payment queries, please contact earlyyearsfinance@bolton.gov.uk

How do we change the spelling of a child?

If you need to change the spelling of a child’s name or edit any of their details, click on the button to the left of their name. You will then be able to edit their name, DOB, address, ethnicity and first language.

Do we need to enter a child’s 2YO number in?

No, you will not need to enter the 2YO reference number.

How do we put children on the headcount who have an address out of the borough?

When you enter a child onto the headcount with an out of borough address, you will probably not be able to find them on the list of addresses. Instead, you will need to enter the address manually by clicking on the ‘Enter Address Manually’ option.

Is there a count function to show how many submitted?

No there currently isn’t a function to show how many children have been submitted however there are plans for it to be added in the future. However, you could download the document into Excel and if you look at the last row of data the row number should tell you how many children there are. You will need to delete everything above the headcount on the spreadsheet.

What happens if a child starts after the headcount deadline in a term?

If a child starts at your setting after the deadline has passed, you can add the child to your headcount through an amendment task. An amendment task will be sent not long after the ‘Actual Task’ deadline has passed, however, you can contact 01204 337169 as well to let them know.

Are there plans for the system to inform us when a child is eligible for the EYPP?

Not at the moment, however, longer term we will be looking at how this can be done. Details are sent via Data Management to show eligible children, and a breakdown is sent via Finance.

If I have an agreement with the parent that they have to give notice before leaving (e.g. 1 week, 2 weeks) but the parents decide to move the child to a new nursery before the notice period has ended, which provider gets the funding?

Your agreement with the parent is something different to our agreement. Our agreement states that the funding follows the child, so you would put an end date on the headcount of when the child stopped attending your setting. It is your decision whether you want to pursue the payment with the parent or not. You cannot claim for a notice period where the child has not attended the setting.