6.1 The local authority will support partnerships on 4 levels between:
- local authorities and providers
- providers working with other providers, including childminders, schools, and organisations
- providers and parents/carers
- local authorities and parents/carers
6.2 The local authority will promote partnership working between different types of providers across all sectors and encourage more providers to work together to offer flexible provision.
6.3 The provider should work in partnership with parents/carers, and other providers to improve provision and outcomes for children in their setting. An interactive toolkit has been developed to help providers set up or join a partnership, maximise the benefits of working together and tackle the challenges joint working can bring.
6.4 The provider should discuss and work closely with parents/carers to agree how a child's overall care will work in practice when their early years' entitlement is split across different providers, such as at a maintained setting and childminder, to ensure a smooth transition for the child.