What do we mean by free early years education for eligible children
Free early years education is childcare and education for two to four year olds funded by the government—see One Minute Guide, Free Early Education Entitlement (FEEE). All three to four year olds in England are entitled to FEEE and some two year olds are also eligible. For two and three year olds eligibility begins the term after their birthday. From January 2021, parents will receive a ‘Golden Ticket’ to inform them that they have an eligible two year old.
Eligible two year olds include those children who:
- are looked after by the Local Authority
- have left care through Special Guardianship, Adoption or Child Arrangements Orders
- are from a family whose household has low earnings and are in receipt of some welfare benefits – more detail is available about which low earnings and benefits
- have a statement of special education needs or an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or are eligible for disability benefits
Where children are not eligible, or parents don’t want their child to access nursery provision (or are waiting for a nursery place to be become available) they are offered the opportunity to attend play and stay sessions run by Leeds City Council
Children’s Centres giving parents and children the opportunity to attend groups together. Often attendance is a great introduction to other services and can result in: parents feeling less isolated; learning from other parents; children taking up free places where eligible and available; and parents returning to work.
What are the benefits and why does take up need to be increased
Every child deserves the best possible start in life. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future. Evidence shows that regular, high quality early education has lasting benefits for children. Their social, physical and mental development is enhanced which helps them be ready for school and to fulfil their potential.
We know that for those Leeds children who are eligible for Free School Meals (often a good indicator of eligible children) their assessed ‘good level of development’ is lower than their peers nationally at
Early Years Foundation Stage. This may impact negatively on their future educational progress and outcomes; if take up was increased, these could be improved.
The take up of FEEE for eligible two year olds on average across the city needs to be increased and in particular there is relatively lower take up in some of the highest needs clusters. Also take up needs to be increased for eligible two year olds subject to a child in need or a child protection plan.
The take up of FEEE for three and four your olds on average across the city is reasonably good, however, in some of the highest needs clusters, higher take up would be expected. These are the children who may benefit the most from taking up places. Take up can also support assessment processes (early help, child in need, child protection, EHCP etc.).
What might be affecting take up for eligible children
The factors that might be affecting take up include that:
- practitioners may not have up to date information about the
eligibility criteria or do not understand the importance and benefits of taking up places for young children
- parent carers may not know that there are free places available or may not be able to read written or website information in English such as on the Golden Ticket
- Parent carers may be reluctant to access their child’s free place because of a variety of reasons e.g. it is not the norm in their families for young children to attend early years settings or they are new migrants to Leeds and education start ages are different where they used to live such as in the Czech Republic where children start school aged seven
- the child is not yet eligible because their parent does not have a National Insurance Number (this is a requirement) or the parents have
no recourse to public funds
- there may not be enough free places within the reach area and schools do not take two year olds. The Family Information Service website has a
child care finder function
What should practitioners do to increase take up
To help increase take up, practitioners working with children age two, three and four years should:
- make themselves aware of the eligibility criteria for FEEE and identify if the children they are working with are eligible, by checking eligibility with the
Family Information Service
- make it a core feature of conversations, assessments, plans and reviews to focus on the importance of early years childcare and education
- talk to families about eligibility and highlight the benefits of taking up places
- support families to
find a local provider and take up their child’s place where available. When a local Children Centre nursery place is wanted, the practitioner should support the family to apply; the request will be registered and there may be a waiting list before a place is offered
It is especially important to increase take up for those eligible children subject to early help, child in need, child protection and Education Health and Care plans or who live in the highest needs clusters in the city. When these children take up their place, best practice is to include early years providers in conversations, assessments, plans and reviews for the child.
Where a child is not eligible for FEEE, practitioners should give information and support the parent carers to access play and stay sessions. Practitioners may also contact Local Authority
Children‘s Centres to discuss short term discretionary places as part of a plan for a child.
For more information
There is a wealth of information about child care, eligibility, health visitors and other family services including for those children with special educational needs and disabilities on the
Family Information Service website or tel: 0113 3789700.
