DAY CARE FOODS SCHEME

The Day Care Foods Scheme enables children under five years of age to receive, free of charge, 189 ml (one third of a pint) of milk each day they attend approved day care facilities for two hours or more. Babies aged under one may instead receive dried baby milk made up to 189 ml (one third of a pint).

Day care providers who have been approved to supply milk under the Scheme can be reimbursed for the cost of the milk they supply.

The scheme is administered by the Business Services Organisation, Day Care Foods Team, on behalf of the Department of Health.

WHO CAN APPLY

You may apply for approval to participate in the Scheme if you are: 

  • a person who receives a child into premises which are registered pursuant to Article 118 of the 1995 Order,
  • a voluntary organisation which provides a play-bus for the use of children, or
  • a person who receives a child into nursery school under the management of or assisted by the Education Authority.

Please note that Day Care provided for less than two hours in a day does not qualify for approval under the scheme. Parents and relatives of the child and privately-employed nannies are NOT eligible under the Scheme.

HOW TO APPLY

If you wish to take part in the Scheme, you first must register with the Business Services Organisation before you can receive payment for the milk and dried milk you supply. The application form to take part in the Scheme can be downloaded from the supporting documentation above or can be obtained from:

Day Care Foods Team
Business Services Organisation
Pinewood Villa
73 Loughgall Road
Armagh
BT61 7PR

Tel : 028 9536 1648
Email : healthystartapplications@hscni.net

If your application for approval is successful the Day Care Foods team will register you under the Scheme and send you the forms required to claim reimbursement.

HOW TO CLAIM PAYMENT

At the end of each 3 month period, you should send your completed claim form, along with valid receipts to the Day Care Foods Team at the address above.
The Day Care Foods Team will check your claim to see that it is consistent with your registration details and is otherwise correct. Once the claim is processed, payment will be made by BACS (Banker's Automated Clearing Service).

Please note that claim forms submitted for payment which are incorrect, incomplete or not accompanied by appropriate proof of payment will not be processed and will be returned to you.

GENERAL ADVICE

  • Do not give the claim form to your milk supplier - you must pay the supplier directly. The Day Care Foods Team will reimburse you the cost of milk supplied.
  • Dried baby milk - Day Care providers who have children under 1 in their care can claim for the equivalent of 1/3 pint of dried baby milk. This equates to one 900 gramme tin per child per month.
  • Liquid milk - Enter the actual daily attendance of children to whom milk has been supllied. As attendance will normally fluctuate, it is not expected that the same number of children will be shown as attending each day.  Accordingly, you must keep accurate records.
  • The number of sessions is either 1 or 2. Please enter 1 on the claim form if there is no replacement of eligible children  during the day. Enter 2 on the claim form if the eligible children returning home are replaced then, or later in the day, by other eligible children.