A. Yes, we typically operate with a waiting list for sessions at the Centre. Due to the nature of our services and how we allocate sessions, we’re unable to provide a specific timeline for when a place may become available for your child. While on the waiting list, we encourage families to take part in our Stay and Play groups and other social activities organised by our Family Support Team. These sessions offer valuable opportunities for engagement, play, and connection while you wait.

A. Please complete our enquiry form and a member of our team will contact you as soon as possible to invite you and your child to one of our Stay and Play sessions. This gives us a chance to meet, chat informally, and learn more about your child’s needs and requirements. If you're unable to attend a Stay and Play session, we may be able to arrange a telephone appointment instead.

As we are a charity, we charge a small fee for our social activities and stay and play groups.

We accept a range of government funding options to help cover the cost of early education sessions, including:

• Working parent funding entitlements for children aged 9 months to 4 years
• 2, 3 and 4-year-old funded hours

If your child is not yet eligible for funding or you use your entitlement at another setting, please contact us directly for up-to-date prices.

Before we can confirm a funded place, we will need your eligibility code for any working parent funding entitlements and Think 2 funding to verify your eligibility.

For more information about funding options, please visit the Childcare Choices website:
www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Places are allocated according to our priority criteria and following the initiation of our Entry and Exit pathway. Please see our Admissions Policy for more information.

No. Once your child is settled you are welcome to leave your child with our experienced qualified staff. You may stay on site – we have a parents room where you can relax – or you can go offsite if you prefer.

Change can be challenging for all of us, but for children with SEND and their families, transitions often come with added complexity. Some of the most significant changes in the early years include moving from a home environment to a nursery setting, and later transitioning to a new setting or starting school.

We understand that while these changes can be difficult, they also provide valuable opportunities to help children develop the skills they need to manage transitions in other areas of life.

Our Entry and Exit Pathway outlines the process we follow to support each child and family throughout their journey with us. From the moment a child begins their early education placement, we carry out termly process reviews. These regular check-ins help us assess whether the current session is still the best fit for your child’s evolving needs.

Children can attend the Centre until they reach school starter age. Typically, this means their placement ends at the close of the summer term in the year they are eligible to start school. Most children begin Reception in the September after their fourth birthday and are considered to be of compulsory school age from the term after they turn five.

For more information on school starting ages, visit the UK Government’s admissions page.

Yes, we have a variety of specialist equipment and seating. If your child needs a specific piece of equipment we will try to arrange it for you.

Sessions are grouped by need rather than age and the number of children in each session can vary from 5 to 12 children.

No, but we work in partnership with health and social welfare professionals involved in children’s care, such as speech and language therapists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists and more. We also refer directly in to many of these services where required.

Our transition service supports parents and carers in exploring potential educational settings, including both mainstream and special schools, as well as private day nurseries. We guide families through the EHC needs assessment (EHCNA) and Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process, working closely with them and the chosen setting to plan a smooth and low-stress transition to the next stage of education.

The SEND Code of Practice is statutory guidance for organisations that work with and support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Everything we do is based on the principle of helping every child reach their full potential. You can find our more about the SEND Code of Practice here (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25)

We deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS) which aims to ensure every child gets the best possible start in life and support that enables them to fulfil their potential. You can find out more about the EYFS here (https://www.gov.uk/early-years-foundation-stage).

We are a registered charity, primarily funded through the generosity of our local community, supportive businesses, and grant funders. To ensure the long-term sustainability of our life-changing services, we work tirelessly to secure consistent funding. Ongoing fundraising is essential to our ability to deliver these vital services year after year.

To find out more about our centre and our early education sessions please ask us a question

Yes, you can view our prospectus here.

Yes. You can find our policies here.