As soon as you can ask around! I didn’t realise in my area you need to look at 8 weeks pregnant to get a space when you need it!
you have to apply in a certain window for a certain term that they would be starting in. if you go to gov.uk, you’ll find information on there about when you need to apply. in terms of nurseries, as above, when you’ve chosen one you can go directly through them☺️ it’s worth asking about waiting lists when you’re looking at nurseries to avoid any issues! x
You find your local nurseries and go for tours so you can ask questions and get a feel for the places. Then you apply to them directly. Once you have a place (waiting lists can be long) you can deal with applying for the funding.