The Family Information Service (FIS)
Who are the Family Information Service (FIS)?
We are a free, impartial service that aims to help all families find information, advice and support, when they need it, where they need it.
- Who are the Family Information Service (FIS)
- What kind of information can I get from the service?
- How can we help?
- How to contact FIS
- Why is information important?
- What can I expect when I contact the service (FIS)?
- Tameside’s Early Help website
- Tameside’s Family Hubs
- Tameside’s Local Offer – Special Educational Needs & Disability (SEND)
- Two Year Old Funding
- Three and Four Year Old Funding – 15 hours:
- 30 hours of childcare funding:
- Tameside’s Directory of Free Entitlement Funding (FEF) childcare providers
- Can I get help with my childcare costs – ‘Best Start in Life’ website:
- Save money on your childcare bills with Tax-Free Childcare
- Service Information Directory (SID)
What kind of information can I get from the Family Information Service (FIS)?
FIS can provide you with information and advice regarding local Ofsted registered childcare providers, childcare funding options such as the Free Entitlement Funding (FEF) for children from the term after they turn 9 months until they reach school age, leisure activities for children and how to register as a childminder or set up a childcare business. FIS also have a wide variety of information about local and national services that can offer relevant advice and support to families including support for families with children and young people with SEND.
To give you an idea of how we can help have a look at the questions below and if you can answer yes to any of them, get in touch!
- Do you need to find good quality childcare so that you can work, train or study?
- Are you looking for things to do as a family or activities for children and young people to do?
- Do you want to talk to somebody about a health, education or parenting issue?
- Are you looking for services and support for your child with additional needs?
- Thinking of working with children or setting up a childcare business?
There are a number of ways to find out about Ofsted Registered childcare providers in your area.
You can:
- Search for childcare in Tameside by visiting the TMBC Childcare Search (FISO)
- Contact a FIS Information Officer by telephone for Information, Advice & Guidance on Tel: 0161 342 4260
Once you have identified the provider(s) that you wish to approach, you can get an independent view of the service that they offer by using the links to Ofsted
View Free Entitlement Funding (FEF) in Tameside for children aged from 9 months to 4 years
How can we help?
With so much information about, it can sometimes be difficult to know where to start or who to contact to find exactly what you need. This is where the Family Information Service (FIS) can help.
How to contact FIS
FIS can be contacted by telephone on 0161 342 4260 from Monday to Friday to make an enquiry:
- Monday to Wednesday: 8.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 5.00pm.
- Thursday: 8.30am - 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 4.30pm
- Friday: 8.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm - 4.00pm
FIS can be emailed at fis@tameside.gov.uk
You can also meet with FIS at the Family Hubs across Tameside:
- Monday: North Family Hub (Ashton): 8.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 5.00pm
East Family Hub (Stalybridge): 8.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 5.00pm - Tuesday: North Family Hub (Ashton): 8.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 5.00pm
East Family Hub (Stalybridge): 8.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 5.00pm - Wednesday: North Family Hub (Ashton): 8.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 5.00pm
East Family Hub (Stalybridge): 8.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 5.00pm - Thursday: South Family Hub (Hyde): 8.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm - 4.30pm
West Family Hub (Droylsden): 8.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 4.30pm - Friday: South Family Hub (Hyde): 8.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 4.00pm
West Family Hub (Droylsden): 8.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 4.00pm
Why is information important?
Having access to good quality information and advice can really help when making choices about family life. Whether you are a new parent or carer or have been bringing up children for years the Family Information Service (FIS) is there to help you every step of the way, from birth up to 19 years of age and up to 25 years if a young person has Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND).
What can I expect when I contact the service?
When you contact FIS you will receive a friendly and professional service and your enquiry will be treated in confidence. We will do our very best to answer all your questions and provide you with any useful publications, we will also signpost you to other services that may be able to support you if you need further help.
Tameside’s Early Help website
Information, advice & support for professionals & families - the webpage is split into two sections, one for parents / carers & young people & the other for professionals who work with children & families – with both featuring easily identifiable buttons to take users straight to what they’re searching for. The parents / carers & young person’s section includes links to accessing Early Help, Family Hub, Grow in Tameside, Young Carers support, a handy Service Information Directory & much more. The professionals section includes information on safeguarding & safety, the Early Help Panel, the Team Around Approach & more. The Early Help website can be found here
Tameside’s Family Hubs
Family Hubs provide an unprecedented level of support to children and parents/carers.
They act as a ‘one stop shop’ offering early support to families and young people to help overcome difficulties and build strong relationships.
As well as being open in buildings in each of Tameside’s four neighbourhood areas, with facilities also available at other community venues, they also include virtual offers and are for families with children of all ages, from 0 to 19 or up to 25 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with a great Start for Life offer at their core.
By bringing existing family-help services together, they improve access and connections with support including help with infant feeding and perinatal mental health, as well as making it easier to access wider services such as smoking cessation and job advice.
Visit your local Family Hub at:
| Neighbourhood | Address | Facilities also available at |
|---|---|---|
| North Family Hub (Ashton) | St Peter’s Family Hub, Trafalgar Square, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL7 0LL. Call: 0161 342 2255 |
Active Oxford Park Tameside One |
| East Family Hub (Stalybridge, Dukinfield and Mossley) | Ridge Hill Family Hub,School Crescent, Ridge Hill, Stalybridge, SK15 1EA. Call 0161 342 5533 |
Stalybridge Civic Hall Mossley Family Hub |
| South Family Hub (Hyde, Hattersley and Longdendale) | Flowery Field Family Hub,Old Road, Flowery Field, Hyde, SK14 4SQ. Call: 0161 342 5353 |
Hattersley Hub & Hattersley Family Hub Hyde Town Hall |
| West Family Hub (Denton, Droylsden and Audenshaw) | Greenside Family Hub,Greenside Lane, Droylsden, M43 7RA. Call: 0161 342 5197 |
Tameside Wellness Centre, Denton Denton Town Hall |
Opening Times:
- Monday to Wednesday: 8.30am-5.00pm
- Thursday: 8.30am-4.30pm
- Friday: 8.30pm-4.00pm
For further information please visit: https://www.tameside.gov.uk/FamilyHubs
Tameside’s SEND Local Offer – Special Educational Needs & Disability (SEND)
The purpose of the Tameside SEND Local Offer is to provide a single place where children and young people (aged 0-25) with SEND, their families, parents and carers can access information, advice, support and services.
The Local Offer is also a resource for professionals, volunteers and anyone involved in caring for or supporting young people with SEND.
Information, advice & support regarding Tameside’s SEND Local Offer can be found here.
15 Hours of Childcare Funding for 2 Year Olds - for families receiving additional support (FRAS):
The 2 year old funding (FRAS) is up to 570 hours of free early education childcare provision per year for eligible 2 year olds receiving some additional forms of support - this works out as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year if your child takes up the childcare during term time or you could take fewer hours over more weeks in the year, although this depends on the hours offered at your preferred childcare provider. The funding can be accessed at any of the Ofsted registered childcare providers registered within the Tameside’s directory of Free Entitlement Funding (FEF) providers which includes Childminders, Pre-school Playgroups & Private Day Nurseries. There is a criteria for the 2 year funding so not all families will be entitled to this funding. All eligible two year olds are able to access their childcare funded place from the term after their 2nd birthday.
Further information regarding the 2 year funding including the eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found here
Three and Four Year Old Funding – 15 hours:
All 3 and 4-year-olds in Tameside can get 570 hours of free early education childcare per year – it is usually taken as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year or you could take fewer hours over more weeks in the year although this depends on the hours offered at your preferred childcare provider. The funding can be accessed at any of the Ofsted registered childcare providers registered within the Tameside’s directory of Free Entitlement Funding (FEF) providers which includes Childminders, Nursery Classes, Pre-school Playgroups & Private Day Nurseries.
All eligible three year olds are able to access their childcare place the term after their 3rd birthday and it stops once your child starts reception class.
30 hours of childcare funding - for eligible working families with children aged 9 months until they reach school age:
If eligible, you're entitled to an extra 570 hours of free early education childcare a year to use flexibly, so 1140 hours in total. Over the next 3 months you and your partner (if you have one) must each expect to earn at least the equivalent to the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week (on average). If you, or your partner, are on maternity, paternity or adoption leave, or you're unable to work because you are disabled or have caring responsibilities, you could still be eligible. You can't get 30 hours free childcare if you, or your partner, expect to earn £100,000 or more. Parents need to apply the term before their child meets the age criterion to ensure they can access a place at the start of the term after your child turns 9 months of age - if not, you will need to wait until the following term to access your 30 hours. Parents can split their hours between multiple providers but no more than two sites in one day.
Parents who want to apply for the 30 hours of childcare funding for eligible working families with children aged 9 months to 4 years need to apply on-line via HMRC (not Tameside Council) via the link: https://www.gov.uk/free-childcare-if-working/apply-for-free-childcare-if-youre-working.
If you would like to complete an eligibility calculator to see if you meet the eligibility criteria for the 30 hours of free childcare - you can access the calculator via the www.beststartinlife.gov.uk website on the link: https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/eligibility-checker . If you are eligible & would like to apply via HMRC - just click on the ‘apply now’ link which will also take you directly to the HMRC on-line application.
Parents who need assistance to apply (or who do not have access to the internet) can call the childcare service ‘Customer Interaction Centre’ on Tel: 0300 123 4097 and apply over the telephone.
Where can I access the Free Entitlement Funding (FEF) in Tameside - for children aged from 9 months until attending Reception Class?
You can access the Free Entitlement Funding (FEF) at the registered childcare providers within Tameside’s Directory of Free Entitlement Funding (FEF) providers which includes Childminders, Private Day Nurseries, Pre-school Playgroups & Nursery Classes. Further information can be viewed via the link: Nursery Education Places - Tameside MBC
Tameside’s Directory of Free Entitlement Funding (FEF) providers can be viewed via the link: https://www.tameside.gov.uk/getmedia/3976f4b0-ec1e-43c7-a13e-89e02c055a05/Free-Entitlement-Funding-Directory-of-Providers.pdf
Can I get help with my childcare costs – ‘Best Start in Life’ website:
The Government is introducing new ways to help parents with childcare costs - whether you have a baby or teenagers - you could get support. The ‘Best Start in Life’ website has been set up with several calculators so you can check eligibility around your own family’s individual circumstances here.
Universal Credit childcare - for working families:
For working families claiming Universal Credit with children under 17 – you may be able to claim back up to 85% of eligible childcare costs.
Further information can be viewed via the 'Best Start in Life’ website link: https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/childcare-early-years-education/universal-credit-childcare
Help with childcare while you study:
For families where one or both of the parents are studying.
Further information can be viewed via the link: https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/support-while-you-study
Tax-Free Childcare - Save money on your childcare bills
If you’re a working parent or carer, including the self-employed, in the UK - you can get a £2 top-up for every £8 that you pay towards childcare with children aged 0 - 11 years (or 0 - 16 years if disabled).
Find out more and how to apply by visiting Best Start in Life.
Service Information Directory (SID)
If you prefer to look on-line then visit our Tameside Service Information Directory. This contains lots of useful information about local and national services including contact details and opening hours as well as activities and events that are taking place across Tameside.