Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether a childcare provider may allocate funded entitlement hours exclusively to a fixed afternoon session where a child attends from the morning; and what criteria local authorities should apply when determining whether the resulting requirement to purchase additional morning hours is consistent with statutory guidance.

​There is no requirement that childcare providers must deliver funded hours at particular times of the day or on particular days of the week. Providers are free to choose when to deliver hours, as long as they comply with the terms of their arrangements with the local authority.

​​Local authorities should ensure providers obtain a parental declaration before a child takes up a place, confirming the number of hours, attendance pattern and any optional charges agreed by the parent. This helps ensure clarity for both parents and providers.

​​As set out in the statutory guidance for local authorities, local authorities should ensure sufficient flexible provision to meet parental needs, maximise entitlement take-up and help parents access places that support both children's development and parents' work commitments. This guidance can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2/early-education-and-childcare-valid-from-1-april-2026.

​​Local authorities should also act as a broker between parental demand and provider capacity, helping parents access places that meet their required days and times.