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Childcare and early years

Finding childcare, running a childcare business, financial support, data collection, local authority obligations.

Services

  1. Early years foundation stage

    The early years foundation stage (EYFS) sets standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5

  2. Find free early education and childcare

    Check if your council offers free early education and childcare

  3. Find an Ofsted inspection report

    Search for Ofsted inspection reports for childminders and childcare providers, schools, colleges, further education providers, children and families services

  4. Find a nursery school place

    Apply for a place in a nursery school for children under 5 through your local council

  5. Unpaid parental leave

    Employer and employee guide to unpaid parental leave - eligibility, how much leave can be taken and notice periods

See more services in this topic

Guidance and regulation

  1. Early years foundation stage statutory framework (EYFS)
    • Statutory guidance
    • Department for Education
  2. Check early years qualifications
    • Detailed guide
    • Department for Education
  3. Sign in to your childcare provider account for Tax-Free Childcare
    • Detailed guide
    • HM Revenue & Customs
  4. Sign up to Tax-Free Childcare if you’re a childcare provider
    • Detailed guide
    • HM Revenue & Customs
  5. Inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills
    • Guidance
    • Ofsted
See more guidance and regulation in this topic

News and communications

Decision

Early years census 2019: technical specification

Department for Education

Research and statistics

  1. Childcare and early years providers survey: 2018
    • Department for Education
    • Official statistics
  2. LA and school expenditure: 2016 to 2017 financial year
    • Department for Education
    • Official statistics
  3. 30 hours free childcare: eligibility codes issued and validated
    • Department for Education
    • Official statistics
  4. Education provision: children under 5 years of age, January 2018
    • Department for Education
    • National statistics
  5. 30 hours free childcare: evaluation of the national rollout
    • Department for Education
    • Research
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Policy papers and consultations

  1. Early education and childcare workforce: level 2 qualifications
    • Department for Education
    • Consultation outcome
    • Date closed 28 February 2018
  2. Childcare workers: changes to disqualification arrangements
    • Department for Education
    • Consultation outcome
    • Date closed 02 July 2016
  3. Surveys on childcare and early years in England
    • Department for Education
    • Closed consultation
    • Date closed 18 May 2018
  4. Lullabyz Nursery
    • Companies House
    • Case study
  5. Supporting early years providers to run sustainable businesses
    • Department for Education
    • Policy paper
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Transparency and freedom of information releases

  1. Ofsted Annual Report 2016/17: education, children’s services and skills
    • Ofsted
    • Corporate report
  2. FOI: early years dataset as at 31 March 2017
    • Ofsted
    • Foi release
  3. FOI: early years dataset as at 31 December 2016
    • Ofsted
    • Foi release
  4. FOI: early years dataset as at 31 August 2016
    • Ofsted
    • Foi release
  5. Memorandum of understanding between Ofsted and FSA
    • Ofsted
    • Corporate report
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Organisations

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Sub-topics

Data collection for early years and childcare Finding childcare Local authorities and early years Providing childcare