Free early years childcare and education

All three and four year old children are entitled to a free part-time early learning and education place, consisting of up to 15 hours per week, for 38 weeks per year (formerly known as the Nursery Education Grant). 

1. Where can I access the free childcare?

A free place can be accessed in a variety of settings including pre-school or playgroups, private day nurseries, private nursery schools, maintained nursery schools and classes, or with Sefton's accredited childminder network.

To find out more about how the new flexible early years entitlement can be taken and how to claim a place then simply contact the provider of your choice.

You can find a list of providers of free early years childcare in Sefton at The Sefton Directory. Using the directory you can search by location to find childcare in your area.

2. How many hours free childcare can I claim?

The 15 hours free entitlement can be taken over a minimum of 2 days per week. The maximum allowed in any single day is 10 hours. The free entitlement must be taken between 7am and 7pm - but please note that actual times offered may vary across settings.

3. Am I eligible for free childcare?

All three and four year old children are entitled to a free part-time early learning and education place. Children become eligible for a place from the term following their third birthday, with terms starting from 1st January, 1st April and 1st September.