Introduction
The Early Years Commissioning Team has duties under the Childcare Acts of 2006 and 2016 to ensure that there are a sufficient number of sustainable and high quality childcare places for children aged 0-19 and their families.
There are a sufficient number of childcare places in an area if there are enough childcare places available to meet the needs of working parents, and enough places for all eligible children to take up the Early Years Entitlement.
The team works with childminders, pre-schools, playgroups, day nurseries, out of school clubs and schools.
If you want information about 2 year old funding please visit our Paying for childcare page.
Early years news and updates
Information will be updated regularly and will include any important news from Ofsted.
Childcare Works presentations – 12 March 2019
Changing Lives Through Childcare presentation
Childcare matters presentation
Early Years Communities Induction Day
Early Years Communities Induction Day November 2018 presentation
EpiPen and EpiPen junior shortage
EpiPen and EpiPen Junior Guidance
Somerset’s Strategy for Achieving Excellence for All
Vision and Priorities for Improvement – 2016 -2020
Early Years Strategy
Early Years Provider Information Evenings – Summer 2019
English as an Additional Language support
Somerset Early Years EAL Advisory Service
Advisory Service for English as an Additional Language available to all early years providers.
There are free services available to early years providers in Somerset for translation to help communicate more effectively with children and families. These services are provided by DA Languages and Diversity Voice. Diversity Voice offers translation into and from Polish. Translation for all other languages are offered by DA Languages.
Interpreting and Translation for Early Years services
Diversity Voice service – English
Diversity Voice service – Polish
DA Languages telephone interpreting service
Business and committee support
- Advice on business sustainability and financial planning
- Support Committees with effective practice and legislative requirements
- Inclusion funding for holiday play-schemes and out of school provision
- Support and advice for providers setting up new childcare provisions
- Provide support and guidance to Out of School provision 6 to 19
Information for Out of School Childcare Providers
- Provide support
- Provide resources
- Details of Network meetings
- Ofsted updates
Working with children
- How to become a childminder
- How to advertise job vacancies
- Continuing professional development
Childcare sufficiency assessments
- Report on childcare sufficiency in Somerset
- Local area sufficiency assessments available on request
Support with childcare costs for parents
- Funded places for two-year olds
- Funded places for all three and four-year olds
- Other support available for childcare costs
Free School Meals and Funding for 2 Year Olds
- Application form for funded places for two-year olds and free school meals