Childcare for children with special needs

Find support on childcare options for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

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Early years childcare

There are a range of childcare options available to parents, these include mainstream nurseries, childminders and after-school clubs that provide reasonable adjustments, as well as childcare settings that have more experience and training in supporting children with SEND.

The Early years support page provides information and guidance for families with children under five with a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). It covers child health and development, including advice on seeking support from GPs, health professionals, and the Healthy Family Team. There are a range of childcare options available to parents, including mainstream nurseries and childminders. Childcare providers should make reasonable adjustments where needed to help children with special educational needs and disabilities access and take part in their setting. This might include making changes to routines, communication, the environment or activities to help a child take part and be supported.

Find out more, go to Early years support

Childcare for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

All early years settings including nurseries, pre-schools, and childminders should welcome young children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Some providers have had additional training in and have specific experience of providing care for children with particular special educational needs. Where this is the case they are asked to highlight the level of experience and type of support they offer.

Find childcare providers with SEND experience

Childcare funded places

Some children are entitled to funded childcare, to find out what is available go to

Help with childcare costs

To find providers that offer funded places including wraparound care, go to

Find childcare

Disability Access Fund (DAF)

If your child is receiving the Disability Living Allowance (DLA), and is accessing a government-funded early years place, their childcare provider may be able to receive Disability Access Fund (DAF) funding.

Find out more, go to Disability Access Fund (DAF) Nottingham and Nottinghamshire

Early health notification

The Early Health Notification is a way of making sure pre-school children who may have special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) are identified and supported as early as possible.

If health professionals believe that a child has, or is likely to have, SEND, they must notify the local authority. Parents should be informed and given the opportunity to discuss this first.

This helps the local authority become aware of the child’s needs early, so that appropriate support and planning can begin before they start school

Find out more, go to Early health notification

Financial support for families of disabled children

Working parents of children with additional needs, may be able to access a range of financial support, including Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children under 16 and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for young people aged 16 and over, both of which are not means-tested.

Families may also be eligible for funded childcare, including:

  • Some 2-year olds from families in receipt of certain benefits are entitled to 15 hours of funded childcare
  • All 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to 15 hours of funded education for 38 weeks of the year
  • Some children aged from 9 months to school age from working families are entitled to receive up to 30 hours of funded education and childcare per week, up to a maximum of 38 weeks

Find out more, go to Financial support for families of disabled children

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme is part of Nottinghamshire County Council’s school aged childcare offer. The HAF programme supports the wellbeing of children and young people between the ages of 5 and 16 years. Local activity providers run sessions that are fully funded for those families that are receiving benefits-related free school meals, with some discretionary places also available. Most holiday clubs also offer paid places.

When you go to 'book your place', once on the Eequ booking site you can use the 'filters' to filter by SEND Provision. Using this filter helps parents identify between mainstream HAF clubs that can make reasonable adjustments and the SEND-specific clubs, for children who need a higher level of support.

Find out more, go to The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme

Last updated: 22 September 2026