Education, childcare and employment

Child playing with coloured alphabet shapes.

Education, employment and childcare

Help for you to return to education or employment, information about childcare and your child starting school.

Your education or employment

If you are planning to return to education, speak to your personal advisor (PA) about support you can get.

You can also find out about:

financial support for your education on our page for education and training finance
your education options on our general page for education and training

If you are employed, you should talk to your employer about entitlement to:

You can find general information on our page for employment and volunteering.

Your child's education

Childcare

If you live in West Sussex

In West Sussex, we refer to funded childcare that the government provides as Early Years Funded Entitlements (EYFE). When and how your child can get a funded place depends on your situation. Find out about EYFE entitlement.

You can use the West Sussex Family Information Service (FIS) directory to find childcare.

If you live outside West Sussex

Find a step by step guide to finding childcare nationally on GOV.UK's get childcare page.

Starting school

To find your child's year group and when they are due to start, see the page school age ranges and year groups.

If you live in West Sussex

Find information about registering your child to start school. You will normally need to apply for a place for your child to start school about a year before they are due to start.

If you live outside of West Sussex

You can find information about school places in other parts of the country on GOV.UK's page about school admissions.

If your child has special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

If you live in West Sussex

You can find information and services for children with SEND. See the West Sussex SEND Local Offer.

If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) you should have information from the Special Educational Needs and Assessment Team (SENAT). Find SENAT contact details.

If you live outside West Sussex

Find information on GOV,UK's page about children with SEND. You can also contact your local SEND service. If you need help to get in contact with them, speak to your PA.