Free Early Education

Places for children attending early years settings in Barking and Dagenham

Information for parents and carers

What is an early education place?

Early education helps children to develop strong foundations for future learning, gives children the opportunity to learn through hands-on activities and play and ensures that children's learning is supported by staff who understand how children develop and learn.

The government provides funding for each eligible child to get up to 15 hours a week for 38 weeks a year. This 38 week period is divided into between 11 and 14 weeks each school term.

You may be able to access the free entitlement flexibly. Spreading it over more than 38 weeks or accessing fewer hours (for example, 11 hours each week over 51 weeks. Please speak to your chosen childcare provider to find out if they offer flexible free early education places.

Entitlement to a free early education place

If your child is aged 2, 3 or 4 years

All 4 year olds can get a free early education place.

3 year olds, and eligible 2 year olds, can get a free early education place depending on when their birthday falls, as follows:

Child's birthday: 1 April to 31 August

Term eligible for early education place: Autumn (starts September)

Child's birthday: 1 September to 31 December

Term eligible for early education place: Spring (starts January)

Child's birthday: 1 January to 31 March

Term eligible for early education place: Summer (starts April)

Finding a free early education provider that suits you

Free early education providers have to be registered with Ofsted and satisfy the Local Authority that it can deliver Foundation Stage education.

In Barking and Dagenham this could be at a:

Local authority day nursery
Private day nursery
Pre-schools and playgroups
Maintained infant and primary schools

The Child Choices booklet gives information about early education providers in Barking and Dagenham. To find out if your childcare provider is registered with Ofsted see link for Family Information Service.

How to claim early education funding

For children aged 3 and 4 years, you need to register your child at a pre-school or nursery that offers early education places. The provider will then take forward the claim on your behalf.

For children aged 2 years, a professional has to confirm why the child would benefit from free early education and make a referral on your child's behalf. Referrals can be made by:

Children's Centres
Social care
Health workers
Childcare providers
Education professionals

Eligibility criteria:

The family of the 2 year old must be in receipt of one or more of the following:

Income support
Income based job seeker's allowance
Child tax credit at a rate higher than the family element of £545 per annum
Extra working tax credit relating to a disability or pension credit

Evidence must be supplied with the application.

Please note that an application does not guarantee a place.

For more information please contact the Family Information Service on 020 8227 5395 or email: fis@lbbd.gov.uk.

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