Providing childcare for children with special educational needs and disabilities

Finding the right childcare can be a real struggle for parents, but for those who have children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) the task can be even more difficult. But childcare providers can help and it doesn’t have to mean that you need to make huge changes to the care you already offer.

With funding from the Department for Education, we have developed a series of resources to support childcare providers who want to make their settings more inclusive and provide care for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

A guide to inclusive childcare for childcare providers

Childcare for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is crucial to all families who need it. It gives children a chance to play with other children and adults, to explore the world around them, to prepare for school, or just chill-out after school or in the holidays. Childcare also gives parents the opportunity to work, train, get stuff done at home or spend time with other children.

Read our guide for childcare providers, which gives information about how you can make your childcare setting inclusive and accessible for children with SEND. This guide was written by Unique Kidz and commissioned by Coram Family and Childcare.

Checklist for delivering information as part of the Local Offer

As part of our Childcare for all: the role of the Local Offer research report, Coram Family and Childcare developed a good practice checklist for local authorities on delivering information about childcare for children with special educational needs and disabilities as part of the Local Offer.