SEND childcare and early years
SEND and childcare
All childcare providers must:
- give children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) the same opportunities as any other child
- not charge more money to look after children with SEND
- make reasonable adjustments so that children with SEND can use their services
Types of local childcare providers
Local childcare providers for children aged 0 to 5 with SEND include:
- day nurseries which are registered with Ofsted and offer morning to early evening care that is suitable for working parents, where your child is looked after with a group of children
- preschools which are registered with Ofsted and normally follow school hours (for example, 9 am to 3 pm), but some run for longer hours and offer breakfast and after school clubs
- nannies who care for your child in your home
- childminders who are registered with Ofsted and care for your child in their home, often with a small group of children
Use our directory to find local childcare:
Choosing a childcare provider
To choose the right childcare, you should ask if a provider has:
- a Disclosure and Disbarring Service (DBS) certificate, and keep a copy for your records
- an Ofsted report, which checks if staff in a childcare setting are suited to working with children
You should also:
- visit the provider before signing up, to make sure their building has the right facilities for your child
- check if the staff are trained to work with children with SEND