Baby, Child and Family Support
Childcare, Nursery and Education
Finding childcare you can trust, help with the cost, starting nursery and school, problems with attendance, bullying, special educational support, and home education or alternative provision.
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Two questions to settle first
Childcare and school decisions come down to two practical questions: which registered provider or school suits your child, and what financial help you are entitled to. Both have official checking tools, and both have deadlines that are easy to miss.
Free early education hours, tax-free childcare and childcare support through Universal Credit each work differently, and some cannot be used together. Check the official childcare calculator before committing to a place.
Deadlines worth writing down
- Primary school applications usually close in mid-January for the following September.
- Secondary school applications usually close at the end of October, almost a year ahead.
- Free early education hours start from a set date after your child’s birthday, not on the birthday itself.
- Tax-free childcare accounts must be reconfirmed regularly or payments stop.
- School appeals have short deadlines set out in the refusal letter.
- Applications in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland follow their own timetables.
Choose the help you need
Open the section that matches your situation
Each heading row below is a button and opens the information underneath it.
Finding childcare
- Options include nurseries, pre-schools, childminders, nannies, and before and after-school clubs.
- Use registered providers wherever possible, and check the current inspection report.
- Visit at a busy time, watch how staff speak to children, and ask about staff turnover.
- Ask about settling-in visits, staff ratios, food, outdoor play and how they handle illness.
- Ask how they support children with additional needs, allergies or medical conditions.
- Read the contract carefully: notice periods, deposits, fees for holidays and late collection.
- Your council’s family information service holds local lists and vacancy information.
Help with childcare costs
- Free or funded early education hours are available for eligible children, with the age and number of hours depending on where you live.
- Tax-Free Childcare adds government money to an online childcare account, within limits.
- Universal Credit can cover a proportion of childcare costs for working parents, paid back after you pay.
- Some employers still run childcare voucher schemes for existing members.
- Students, apprentices and parents starting work may have separate schemes available.
- Ask your council about holiday activity and food schemes during school holidays.
- Use the official calculator: some forms of help cannot be claimed at the same time.
Nursery and starting school
- Apply through your council, not the school, and list several genuine preferences.
- Read the admissions rules for each school you name, because they decide who gets a place.
- You can appeal a refusal, and the letter will explain how and by when.
- Prepare a child gradually: talk about it, walk the route, practise the uniform and the lunch routine.
- Tell the school in advance about medical needs, additional needs, or anything happening at home.
- Ask about free school meals, uniform help and school transport at the same time as applying.
Attendance and difficulties at school
- Tell the school early if your child is struggling to attend. Silence usually makes matters worse.
- Ask for a meeting and a written plan, and ask who the designated safeguarding lead and SEND lead are.
- Anxiety, bullying, unmet learning needs, illness and family difficulties are all common causes of absence.
- Ask about a phased return, a reduced timetable as a short-term measure, or a quiet space at breaktimes.
- Fines and legal action are possible for unauthorised absence, which is another reason to keep the school informed and involved.
- If school will not help, follow the school’s complaints procedure in writing, then the governors, then the council or inspectorate.
- Ask a GP for support where a health condition or mental health difficulty is involved.
Bullying
- Every school must have a behaviour or anti-bullying policy. Ask for a copy and use its wording.
- Keep a dated record of incidents, including screenshots of online messages.
- Report in writing to the class teacher first, then the head of year, then the head teacher, then the governors.
- Ask what will change, by when, and how it will be reviewed. Vague reassurance is not a response.
- Report threats, violence, sexual harassment, hate crime or blackmail to the police as well.
- Support your child separately: bullying affects sleep, eating, school work and mood.
- Childline gives children a confidential place to talk, day or night.
Special educational support
- Support should start as soon as a need is noticed, without waiting for a diagnosis or a formal plan.
- Ask to meet the SEND lead and to see what is written down about your child’s support.
- Reasonable adjustments are a legal duty, including for exams, trips and physical access.
- Ask for a formal assessment if support in school is not enough.
- Free independent advice on rights, plans and appeals is available nationally.
Home education and alternative provision
- You may educate a child at home, and the rules differ across the UK.
- In England you normally write to the school to deregister, but different rules apply to special schools.
- In Scotland and Northern Ireland you generally need consent from the council or the school’s board.
- Home education means you take on the cost and organisation, including any examinations.
- Alternative provision, hospital education and online schooling may be arranged by the council where a child cannot attend school.
- Take advice before removing a child from school under pressure, because getting a place back is not guaranteed.
Trusted UK sources
- Childcare Choices – official childcare help (opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK – school admissions (opens in a new tab)
- Ofsted – inspection reports (opens in a new tab)
- Anti-Bullying Alliance (opens in a new tab)
- IPSEA – SEND legal advice (opens in a new tab)
- YoungMinds – parents’ helpline (opens in a new tab)
Important information
Sixpence Support UK provides general information and signposting only. We do not decide school places, funding or eligibility. Childcare funding, admissions and home education rules differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and change over time, so always check the current official guidance and your council’s own information.