{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/children-act-1989/section-18",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/children-act-1989/section-18.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1989/41",
  "legislation_title": "Children Act 1989",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/children-act-1989",
  "path": "section/18",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "18",
  "heading": "Day care for pre-school and other children.",
  "text": "(1) Every local authority shall provide such day care for children in need within their area who are—\n(a) aged five or under; and\n(b) not yet attending schools,\nas is appropriate.\n(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(3) A local authority may provide facilities (including training, advice, guidance and counselling) for those—\n(a) caring for children in day care; or\n(b) who at any time accompany such children while they are in day care.\n(4) In this section “day care” means any form of care or supervised activity provided for children during the day (whether or not it is provided on a regular basis).\n(5) Every local authority shall provide for children in need within their area who are attending any school such care or supervised activities as is appropriate—\n(a) outside school hours; or\n(b) during school holidays.\n(6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(7) In this section “supervised activity” means an activity supervised by a responsible person.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 18(2) omitted (6.4.2016) by virtue of The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/413), regs. 2(1), 66(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "S. 18(6) omitted (6.4.2016) by virtue of The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/413), regs. 2(1), 66(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 18 wholly in force at 14.10.1991 see s. 108(2)(3) and S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/41/section/18",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-30T07:28:21.051680+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}