The requirement was added to the original draft of the government's code of practice on the provision of free nursery education places for three and four-year-olds, published last week.
From September free childcare will be extended from 12.5 to 15 hours a week, and settings will be expected to deliver the hours flexibly to meet parents' needs.
The amendment was made after calls from the Young Children's Voices Network (YCVN), run by the National Children's Bureau. They wanted to ensure childcare providers were listening and responding to the needs of children as well.
The code states that "local authorities should support providers to promote continuity for children in the flexible offer, meaning key person, friendship groups and children's interests are prioritised in delivery".
The code refers local authorities to research recently completed by the YCVN, based on consultations with three- and four-year-olds in a number of settings across Hertfordshire. The research used various methods to gauge the views of the children on how changes to the free childcare offer would affect their experiences.
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