Early Years Options
Early Years Options
Last updated May 2025
All councils in England are required to publish a ‘Local Offer’. This provides information in one place. It details the services and activities that families can find locally and how to access them.
The Local Offer includes information on:
- Childcare options, including expertise to support children with SEND
- Support to parents to aid children’s development at home, such as home learning programmes and Portage (see tab 4 below)
- Free early education places and any special arrangements for children with SEND
- Support to help children with SEND move smoothly from nursery or a childminder to reception class at primary school
The Local Offer should be published on your council’s website, and also be made available in a printed copy.
England
Working parents may be able to get free childcare for a child aged 9 months to 4 years old. If your child is:
- 9 months to 2 years old, you can get 15 hours per week of free childcare
- 3 to 4 years old, you can get 30 hours per week of free childcare
All 3 and 4-year-olds in England are also entitled to 15 hours of free early education or childcare per week.
You may be able to get free childcare if you have a 2-year-old and get certain benefits.
Gov.UK / Find Free Early Education > explains the rules about who can provide the childcare, when it starts and when it stops. It also gives a link for you to find out what is available in your area.
You can also search for help with:
Contact – support in the early years > provides information about how this works in different parts of the UK.
Portage home visitors provide help at home for pre-school children with learning difficulties, physical disabilities or other special needs.
The National Portage Association website > has details of all registered portage services and who to contact.
- would like a printed copy of this information
- have questions we haven’t answered
- need support