Helpful information and advice

Help with childcare costs

Visit our help to pay for childcare section to find out about funded childcare schemes and tax-free childcare.

The UK Governments Childcare Choices website also has information on childcare funding support.

Information and advice

The Family and Childcare Trust website has information and advice on:

different types of childcare available
what to think about when visiting a childcare setting
finding childcare for children with special educational needs and disabilities
helping with childcare costs.

Wokingham's Early Years Childcare and Play Hub

Shares helpful resources with parents and carers on:

Early years foundation stage (EYFS) framework

The EYFS framework sets the standards that all early years providers—including nurseries, pre-schools, and schools—must follow to support children’s learning, development, health, and safety from birth to age 5.

It ensures children are well-prepared for school and helps lay the foundations for their future learning and life skills.

You can read the full EYFS statutory guidance on the UK Government website.

Staff to children ratios

Every setting has to make sure they have enough staff for the number of children they care for. For children aged:

0 to 2 there needs to be 1 staff member for every 3 children
2 to 3 there needs to be 1 staff member for every 5 children
3 to 5 there needs to be 1 staff member for every 8 children

The exception to this is staff in a group provider who hold a relevant Early Years Teacher Status, in which case it is 1 staff member for every 13 children.