Nursery World - 'Patchy' local offer restricting SEND children's access to childcare

Many local authorities are failing to provide families with the information they need to access childcare for their disabled child, finds a new report.

According to Childcare for all: the role of the local offer published by the Family and Childcare Trust and funded by the Soebel Foundation, families with disabled children are being left in the dark on childcare because of ‘patchy’ and varying information and guidance from local authorities.

Under the Children and Families Act, local authorities are required to publish a local offer which sets out information about services and support – including early education and childcare, for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in their area.

However, a review of the online local offer of each local authority in England between September and October 2016 by the Family and Childcare Trust reveals that one third are not providing basic guidance for parents about accessing childcare for children with disabilities.

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