Role of local authority in childcare: a guide for parents

Your local authority secures sufficient childcare, runs a Family Information Service (FIS), and administers funded entitlements — but it does not allocate nursery places or set daily routines. That responsibility sits with the provider you choose.

Three steps to take right now:

• Contact your local Family Information Service to get a list of registered providers, SEND support options, and funding eligibility information in your area.
• Search the Ofsted provider database to check the inspection rating of any nursery you are considering.
• Contact your chosen nursery directly to confirm current availability, fees, and how they claim funded hours on your behalf.

The FIS is your first port of call for local information. Once you have a shortlist, all further enquiries go directly to the nursery’s admissions team.

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Table of Contents

• What does the local authority have to do by law?
• How do local authorities shape the childcare market in your area?
• What local authorities do not control
• Step-by-step checklist for choosing a fee-paying nursery
• How does funding affect what you pay?
• When should you contact your local authority?
• How Thesunflowernursery works with the local authority
• Key takeaways
• A practical perspective on choosing a nursery
• Thesunflowernursery: nursery places in Ilford and South Woodford
• Useful sources for parents

What does the local authority have to do by law?

The Childcare Act 2006 places clear statutory duties on every English local authority. Under Section 3, councils must take steps to secure that early childhood services are provided in an integrated manner and must actively identify parents who might not otherwise take up those services — with a particular focus on disadvantaged families.

The core duties, as set out in DfE statutory guidance, include:

• Securing sufficient childcare across the area, including provision suitable for disabled children.
• Running a Family Information Service to provide information, advice, and assistance to parents about childcare options, financial support, and SEND provision.
• Commissioning free entitlement places and making arrangements with providers willing to accept the LA’s payment terms.
• Publishing information about local provision and offering training and support to childcare providers under Sections 2, 12, and 13 of the Childcare Act.

Statutory guidance updated from 1 April 2026 uses ‘must’ for legal obligations and ‘should’ where councils are expected to follow guidance but have some discretion. That distinction matters when you are assessing whether your council has met its obligations.

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How do local authorities shape the childcare market in your area?

DfE statutory guidance describes local authorities as market stewards rather than default providers. In practice, this means councils assess whether enough places exist across private, voluntary, and maintained settings, then take steps to address gaps.

Councils carry out regular sufficiency assessments to map supply against demand, including for atypical hours and children with SEND. The Local Government Association notes that these assessments consider age-group gaps, geographic spread, and provision for children with additional needs. Where a report flags scarcity, parents should expect longer waiting times and less flexibility on fees.

When commissioning funded places, the LA sets payment terms and may require providers to meet minimum safeguarding and quality standards as a condition of the arrangement. Statutory guidance also requires councils to include termination provisions in funding arrangements, allowing them to withdraw funding if a provider loses registration or fails quality standards.

Pro Tip: Search your council’s website for its most recent sufficiency assessment or ‘childcare market statement’. If it shows low supply in your area or age group, start your nursery search earlier than you think you need to — waiting lists fill faster where places are tight.

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What local authorities do not control

Councils are not responsible for the day-to-day running of private or voluntary nurseries. Parents sometimes contact the LA expecting it to intervene in operational matters, but those decisions belong to the provider.

Provider responsibilities — not the council’s:

• Daily routines, nap schedules, and meal menus.
• Specific curriculum choices within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework.
• Fees charged for sessions beyond funded hours, including charges for meals, nappies, and additional activities.
• Staffing decisions, key worker assignments, and enrichment extras.

If you have a disagreement about extra charges, daily care practice, or a specific routine, contact the nursery manager first. The LA’s enforcement role is limited to funded-place conditions, safeguarding failures, and registration issues. Ordinary service disagreements are outside its remit.

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Step-by-step checklist for choosing a fee-paying nursery

1. Search the FIS and Ofsted. Use your local Family Information Service to build a longlist, then check each provider’s Ofsted rating. Our guide to childcare inspections in East London explains how to read an inspection report.
2. Contact nurseries directly. Confirm current vacancies, fees, and whether they accept funded hours. Council directories can lag behind real availability, so always verify by phone or email.
3. Visit and ask questions. Ask about staff-to-child ratios, SEND support, how funded hours are claimed, what is included in the fee, and the settling-in process.
4. Book a trial session. Most nurseries offer settling-in sessions before a formal start date.
5. Review the contract. Check what extra charges apply, the notice period, and how funded hours are documented. Our guide to nursery fees in East London covers what to look for.
6. Complete funding paperwork. Your nursery handles the claim with the LA, but you will need to provide eligibility evidence (e.g., a 30-hour code from the government’s Childcare Choices service).
7. Confirm the start date in writing.

Typical timeline from first enquiry to start date

Stage	Typical lead time
Initial enquiry to nursery visit	1–2 weeks
Offer confirmed and deposit paid	1–4 weeks after visit
Funded hours paperwork completed	2–4 weeks before term start
Settling-in sessions	1–2 weeks before start date
Child’s first full day	Term start date

Pro Tip: When you receive a funding confirmation from the nursery, ask for it in writing and check it states exactly how many funded hours per week are included, which sessions they cover, and what the remaining parent-paid fee is. This prevents disputes later.

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How does funding affect what you pay?

The main entitlements currently available in England are:

• 15 hours per week for disadvantaged two-year-olds (eligibility is income-based).
• 15 hours per week for all three- and four-year-olds, regardless of parental employment.
• 30 hours per week for three- and four-year-olds of eligible working parents (requires a valid 30-hour code renewed each term).
• Expanded entitlements for younger children of working parents, being phased in from 2024 onwards.

Parents do not apply to the LA for these hours. The nursery claims the funding directly from the council on your behalf. You will, however, need to provide your 30-hour eligibility code to the nursery before the term starts.

Funded hours rarely cover every cost. Providers can charge for meals, consumables, and sessions beyond the funded allocation. Tax-Free Childcare, administered through HMRC’s Childcare Choices service, can reduce the cost of those additional sessions — eligibility is separate from the nursery application process. For a detailed breakdown of how funding works locally, see our guide to funded nursery places in East London.

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When should you contact your local authority?

Most nursery matters are resolved directly with the provider. Contact the LA when the issue falls within its statutory remit.

Who to contact and when:

• Family Information Service — finding registered providers, SEND support options, and local funding information.
• Early years team — queries about funded entitlement eligibility, payment terms, or whether a provider is on the LA’s register.
• Safeguarding or complaints team — serious concerns about a child’s welfare or a provider’s registration status.

What to include when you contact the LA:

• Your child’s name, date of birth, and postcode.
• The provider’s name and address.
• The specific issue, with dates and any written evidence.
• The outcome you are seeking (e.g., confirmation of eligibility, a funded-place query resolved).

Sample questions that get faster answers: “Is [nursery name] on your register of funded providers for the current term?” or “My child’s 30-hour code has been accepted by the nursery but the LA payment has not been processed — who should I speak to?”

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How Thesunflowernursery works with the local authority

Thesunflowernursery operates across multiple locations in Ilford and South Woodford, working within the Redbridge local authority framework for funded entitlements and SEND support.

In practice, this means parents receive clear written guidance on which hours are funded, what the remaining fee covers, and how to renew their 30-hour code each term. The nursery’s SENCO liaises directly with the LA’s early years SEND team where additional support is needed, and settling-in sessions are built into the admissions process to support every child’s transition.

When comparing nurseries, look for these practices:

• Written confirmation of funded hours and remaining fees before you sign a contract.
• A named SENCO and a clear process for requesting SEND support.
• Transparent communication about how and when the nursery claims funded hours from the LA.
• Settling-in sessions included as standard, not as an optional extra.

Use Thesunflowernursery’s approach as a benchmark. Any nursery that cannot answer clearly on these points warrants further scrutiny before you commit. For practical comparison criteria, see our guide to comparing nurseries in Ilford and Redbridge.

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Key takeaways

Local authorities must secure sufficient childcare and administer funded entitlements, but parents choose and contract directly with the provider — the nursery, not the council, is your primary point of contact.

Point	Details
LA statutory duty	Councils must secure sufficient childcare and run a Family Information Service under the Childcare Act 2006.
What LAs don’t control	Daily routines, fees for extra sessions, staffing, and curriculum choices are provider decisions.
First step for parents	Contact your local Family Information Service, then verify availability and fees directly with nurseries.
Funding basics	Funded hours are claimed by the nursery from the LA; parents must supply eligibility evidence such as a 30-hour code.
Thesunflowernursery	Provides written funding confirmation, SENCO liaison, and settling-in sessions as standard across its Ilford and South Woodford locations.

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A practical perspective on choosing a nursery

Parents often arrive at this topic expecting the council to be the gatekeeper — the body that allocates places, sets fees, and resolves disputes. The reality is more useful than that, once you understand it. Councils enable and regulate; your actual relationship is with the nursery. That means the quality of a provider’s communication about funding, SEND support, and daily practice matters far more than which council area it sits in.

The most common concern I hear from parents is about availability: will there be a place when we need it? The honest answer is that sufficiency assessments exist precisely because supply is uneven. In areas where the LA’s own data shows pressure on places, starting your search six months ahead is not excessive. Funding eligibility and SEND support are both navigable with the right nursery alongside you — one that handles the paperwork, communicates clearly, and has a named SENCO you can actually speak to.

If you are uncertain where to start, the parenting support resources at Mum Bub Hub offer broader context on early parenting decisions that complement the practical steps above.

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Thesunflowernursery: nursery places in Ilford and South Woodford

Thesunflowernursery offers day nursery and pre-school care for children aged 0–5 across its Ilford and South Woodford settings, with an EYFS curriculum, daily nutritious meals, and dedicated settling-in sessions built into every admission.

The admissions team guides parents through funded hours paperwork, confirms in writing exactly what is and is not covered by the fee, and connects families with SEND support where needed. Trial sessions are available so your child can settle before their first full day.

To book a visit or speak to the admissions team, contact Thesunflowernursery at thesunflowernursery.co.uk. Places fill quickly, particularly for the younger age groups, so an early enquiry is worthwhile.

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Useful sources for parents

The sources below are the primary statutory and practical references for everything covered in this article.

Source	What it confirms	How to use it
Childcare Act 2006	LA statutory duties on sufficiency and information	Confirms what your council is legally required to provide
DfE statutory guidance (from April 2026)	Commissioning, funding terms, and provider requirements	Check the ‘must’ vs ‘should’ language to assess LA obligations
Ofsted provider search	Inspection ratings and reports for registered providers	Read the summary judgement and any areas for improvement
Local Family Information Service	Registered providers, SEND support, and funding in your area	First search tool; verify availability directly with providers
LGA early education resource pack	Sufficiency assessment guidance	Find your LA’s market statement to gauge local place pressure

How to use these sources:

• On an Ofsted report, check the overall effectiveness grade and the specific judgement for personal development and leadership — these reflect how well a nursery manages SEND and safeguarding.
• On a sufficiency assessment, look for your child’s age group and your postcode area; a note of ‘insufficient’ or ‘under review’ signals a competitive market for places.
• For funding eligibility, use the government’s Childcare Choices service at childcarechoices.gov.uk to check which entitlements apply to your family before approaching a nursery.

Recommended

• What is home-based childcare: a guide for East London parents
• Why choose a local childminder: key benefits for parents
• Essential guide to child care and early years in East London
• Understanding the role of a childminder: What parents need

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