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Early Years and Childcare

Early Years and Childcare is responsible for creating and supporting high quality affordable early education and childcare places. This includes:

Full day care including children's centre nurseries
Infant and primary school nursery classes
Pre-schools
Out of school clubs
Childminders

Early childhood is an important time in a child's development. The quality of the early years provision children attend can make a real difference to a child's development and future outcomes.

Early Years and Childcare Provision in Barking and Dagenham
Currently parents can choose from a range of early education and childcare provision that will suit their particular needs.

Early education can be accessed in a school nursery class where the provision is led by a qualified teacher and other support staff. This is known as maintained provision.

Early education can also be accessed in a day nursery, pre school or with an accredited childminder. This is known as non maintained provision.

All early years non maintained settings (day nurseries, children’s centre nurseries, pre schools and accredited childminders) are supported by a team of experienced Advisory Teachers and Foundation Stage Teachers.

The managers of non maintained early years and childcare settings are qualified to at least NVQ level 3 and a minimum of 50% of their staff hold a relevant childcare qualification.

In the school term after their 3rd birthday, all children are entitled to 15 hours of free early education per week. This can be taken at any school, day nursery, children’s centre nursery and most pre-schools within the borough.

What does Early Years and Childcare do?
The team covers many different aspects of early education and childcare. The following list gives you an idea of what services we provide.

Advisory Teachers and Foundation Stage Teachers

These are all fully qualified teachers who have specialised in working with children 0-5 years. They provide advice, support and guidance to all non maintained settings. They help managers maintain the very highest standards of care and education for children attending these settings.
Business Support

The Business Support Officer provides help and guidance on the business side of childcare including sustainability and setting up new provision.
Family Information Service

The Family Information Service helps parents and carers find childcare and provides information about services for children, young people and families.
Finance

The Finance team works to ensure the effective, efficient running of the Early Years Foundation Stage and Childcare Service. They are also responsible for the administration of the Early Education Funding and the funding for childcare for disadvantaged two year olds.
Inclusion Team

The Inclusion team works with children that have additional and special educational needs. The team is led by a qualified teacher with a specialism in working with children 0-5 years who have additional or complex needs. The Inclusion Team provides support to all non maintained settings to ensure all children are able to access their early education entitlement.
Portage and Early Support

Portage and early support works with families of pre-school children with special educational needs.
Training and Quality

The Training and Quality team arranges various training courses relating to early education and childcare in the borough. They are responsible for booking people onto the courses and keep the Early Years Foundation Stage and Childcare Service Training Programme up-to-date.