Childcare and support for families

Free school meals and holiday meals

If you receive a qualifying benefit and you have a child in primary or secondary school, you can get free school meals, school clothing grants or school journey grants for your child. 

School meals

Apply for free meals at school. 

Holiday meals  

Your children can get free meals throughout the school holidays at libraries and adventure play centres, regardless of your financial situation. 

Get free food during the school holidays.

Healthy Start

If you're more than 10 weeks’ pregnant or have a child under four, you can get help to buy healthy food, milk and vitamins. 

Apply for free milk and vitamins. 

Families Information Service

You can get information about education, early years, school services, childcare, children with disabilities, benefits and work advice through our family information service. 

Get support for you and your family. 

Support for children with special educational needs

Get support if you have a child with special educational needs and disabilities, providing a range of support and advice for families. 

Find local support for your child. 

Get financial support for childcare

You could get financial support for childcare costs from the government.  

Check to see if you are eligible. 

Free early learning

Free early learning places are available in Royal Greenwich for some two-year-olds and all three and four-year-old children. 

Find free childcare for two-year-olds.

Get free childcare for three and four-year-olds.

Tax-free childcare

You could get up to £500 every three months for each of your children to help with childcare costs.  

This goes up to £1,000 every three months if a child is disabled. 

Find out if you can get tax free childcare. 

Young mothers and families

If you are aged between 16 and 21 and have a child or are pregnant, you can get support from us.

Find out more about what we can provide.

Support through children's centres

You can find free or low-cost activities for families with children aged under five at one of our 23 children's centres around the borough. 

Find your local children’s centre. 

Family hubs

Family Hubs are a ‘one-stop-shop’ for children and young people aged 0-19 (0-25 with additional needs) and their families and are a new way of bringing together all the support you may need as a family from pregnancy through to young people turning 19 (or 25 if they have a disability).

Whether you are a mother or father, parent-to-be, a grandparent or a carer – whoever you are, you will be welcomed.

Find out more

Clothing and school trip grants

You might be able to get school clothing grants or school journey grants for your child.

Get support paying for school clothes and trips.