Statutory guidance

Early education and childcare

Statutory guidance for local authorities on the provision of early education and childcare.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 8 September 2014
• Last updated: 1 January 2024 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Early education and childcare

HTML

Details

This guidance is for local authorities.

It relates to their duties under section 2 of the Childcare Act 2016 and sections 6, 7, 7A, 9A, 12 and 13 of the Childcare Act 2006.

It contains information on:

• free childcare entitlements for 2-, 3- and 4-year olds
• 30 hours free childcare
• the introduction of 30 hours free childcare for children in foster care

Statutory guidance sets out what schools and local authorities must do to comply with the law. You should follow the guidance unless you have a good reason not to.

A model agreement for free early years provision and childcare is also available.

Published 8 September 2014
Last updated 1 January 2024 + show all updates

1. 1 January 2024

   Updated with new statutory guidance which applies from 1 April 2024.

2. 12 April 2023

   Updated guidance for local authorities making decisions on funding providers registered at an ‘ineffective' childminder agency to deliver the free early education and childcare entitlements. Changes are included in para A3.13.

3. 11 February 2019

   Removed outdated guidance documents.

4. 21 June 2018

   Added new guidance for 1 September 2018.

5. 21 March 2018

   Replaced 'Early education and childcare: valid from 1 September 2017' with an updated version.

6. 16 February 2018

   Updated Part E: legal annex about free early education entitlement for two-year-olds under Universal Credit. The legislation comes into force on 1 April 2018.

7. 3 March 2017

   Added a new version of the statutory guidance that will be valid from 1 September 2017.

8. 8 September 2014

   First published.