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Guidance

Free early years provision and childcare: model agreement

Information local authorities should include in their agreements with early years providers to deliver free entitlements.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Education
Published:
3 March 2017
Last updated:
9 February 2026
Show all updates

  1. The model agreement template and its associated guidance have been updated to provide more guidance to local authorities in setting out their agreements with providers. The parental declaration and its associated guidance have been updated to strengthen them for their use in the compliance process.

  2. Updated the model agreement template and the parental declaration form. Added 'parental declaration form: guidance'.

  3. Updated the 'Parental declaration form' to include details about applying for early years pupil premium (EYPP).

  4. Updated the model agreement to simplify wording and streamline content so that it is easier to read. There are now 3 attachments, including a page with information about ‘Free childcare entitlements and model agreement guidance’, and 2 Word document templates for the model agreement template and parental declaration form. It has also been updated to align with policy changes such as widening the age range to include children from 9 months to 4 years old.

  5. Updated model agreement.

  6. First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Free childcare entitlements and model agreement: guidance

HTML

Model agreement template

MS Word Document, 585 KB

Parental declaration form: guidance

HTML

Parental declaration form

MS Word Document, 550 KB

Details

The model agreement template and associated guidance are for local authorities to use when creating their provider agreement for the provision of the early years entitlements.

‘Free childcare entitlements and model agreement guidance’ sets out guidance on using the model agreement and the provisions that should be included in a provider agreement.

‘Model agreement template: free early years provision and childcare’ contains the headers, guidance and example text for local authorities to use when creating a provider agreement. Local authorities should review the Model agreement template and consider incorporating relevant elements into their agreements to meet their own local needs.

The ‘Parental declaration form guidance’ and form should be used by local authorities to support them in ensuring providers complete a parental declaration with a parent before a child first take up an entitlements place.

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