Toucan provides early education and child care for children who are two years old and who have a complexity of need that makes it difficult for them to attend a mainstream setting.  In order to be considered for a place, children need to meet the national criteria for free early education (Together for Twos). A 2-year-old can get free early education and childcare if they live in England and the family are in receipt one of the following benefits: 

• Income Support 

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) 

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) 

• Universal Credit - if you and your partner have a combined income from work of £15,400 or less a year, after tax 

• Tax credits and you have an income of £16,190 or less a year, before tax 

• The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit 

• Support through part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 

• The Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit) 

A child can also get free early education and childcare if any of the following apply: 

• They’re looked after by a local council 

• They have an education, health and care (EHC) plan 

• They get Disability Living Allowance  (see above) 

• They’ve left care under a special guardianship order, child arrangements order or adoption order 

• Applications will also be considered for a child where the parent/carers have made a supported application for DLA and are awaiting or appealing an outcome. 

In addition children applying for a place at Toucan must have: 

• A learning difficulty (defined as skills developing 12 months or more behind their chronological age at age 2).  Evidence of this can be submitted through a standardised assessment e.g. Bayley Scales of Infant Development, developmental checklist or schedule, EYFS tracking. 

AND 

• Complex and ongoing needs requiring several professionals involved in their care i.e. physio, medical professionals, nursing, speech and language therapists 

OR 

• Exceptional medical needs which mean that it is not possible for the child to attend a mainstream setting and have resulted in the child missing out on key early experiences. 

OR 

• Borderline evidence of meeting the above criteria but the child is living in a family with high levels of social need evidenced by involvement of Children’s Social Care. 

Toucan may be an appropriate placement for children who: 

• Have spent long periods of their early life in hospital 

• Have complex medical conditions requiring specialist care i.e. emergency or routine medicines; enteral feeding or ventilation. 

• Need complex postural management 

• Have a sensory impairment as part of their condition 

  

Requests for places in Toucan Class are considered at the monthly meeting of the Early Years Co-ordination Team (a multi-agency team of professionals representing Health and Children’s Services).  A request for a place needs to be accompanied by: 

• Detailed evidence from the professionals working with the child that s/he meets the admissions criteria.    

• A record from the Teacher in Charge that the family have visited the setting and that the staff consider the child meets the Toucan criteria 

• Confirmation from a professional working with the child that the parent/carer(s) would like the child to be considered for a place at Toucan Class.