Childcare and early years

Finding childcare, running a childcare business, financial support, data collection, local authority obligations.

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Services

1. Unpaid parental leave

   Employer and employee guide to unpaid parental leave - eligibility, how much leave can be taken and notice periods

2. Early years foundation stage

   The early years foundation stage (EYFS) sets standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5

3. Employing someone to work in your home

   The employment status of au pairs, nannies, carers, personal assistants and other people who work in your home - how to tell if they're an employee or not, what happens with the National Minimum Wage, tax and National Insurance, what happens if you get direct payments for care in your home

4. Find free early education and childcare

   Check if your council offers free early education and childcare

5. Find an Ofsted inspection report

   Search for Ofsted inspection reports for childminders and childcare providers, schools, colleges, further education providers, children and families services

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Guidance and regulation

1. Ofsted: coronavirus (COVID-19) rolling update
   • Detailed guide
   • 1 April 2020
   • Ofsted
2. Coronavirus (COVID-19): early years and childcare closures
   • Guidance
   • 24 March 2020
   • Department for Education
3. Early years foundation stage statutory framework (EYFS)
   • Statutory guidance
   • 20 February 2018
   • Department for Education
4. Sign in to your childcare provider account for Tax-Free Childcare
   • Detailed guide
   • 30 July 2018
   • HM Revenue & Customs
5. Education inspection framework (EIF)
   • Guidance
   • 2 September 2019
   • Ofsted

See more guidance and regulation in this topic

News and communications

17 March 2020 — Press release

Ofsted suspends all routine inspections

Ofsted

1. Amanda Spielman at ResearchEd Birmingham 2020
   • 7 March 2020
   • Ofsted
   • Speech
2. Chief Inspector warns against pursuing success without substance
   • 21 January 2020
   • Ofsted
   • Press release
3. Check your blind cords and keep your home safe
   • 7 October 2019
   • Office for Product Safety and Standards
   • News story
4. PM calls for greater equality in parental leave
   • 18 July 2019
   • Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street
   • Press release

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Research and statistics

1. Childcare providers and inspections as at 31 December 2019
   • 24 March 2020
   • Ofsted
   • Official statistics
2. Childcare and early years survey of parents 2018: follow-up survey report
   • 21 February 2020
   • Department for Education
   • Research
3. Financial returns to early education spending
   • 21 February 2020
   • Department for Education
   • Research
4. Early education and outcomes to age 5
   • 21 February 2020
   • Department for Education
   • Research
5. Childcare Choices: Tax-Free Childcare advertising campaign evaluation
   • 14 February 2020
   • HM Revenue & Customs
   • Research

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Policy papers and consultations

1. Early years childcare fees regulations
   • 17 March 2020
   • Department for Education
   • Consultation outcome
   • Date closed 09 October 2019
2. Early years foundation stage reforms
   • 24 October 2019
   • Department for Education
   • Closed consultation
   • Date closed 31 January 2020
3. Education inspection framework 2019: inspecting the substance of education
   • 29 July 2019
   • Ofsted
   • Consultation outcome
   • Date closed 05 April 2019
4. Surveys on childcare and early years in England
   • 20 December 2018
   • Department for Education
   • Consultation outcome
   • Date closed 18 May 2018
5. Government response to the 'First 1000 days of life' report
   • 6 June 2019
   • Department of Health and Social Care
   • Policy paper

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Transparency and freedom of information releases

1. Consented addresses for childminders and domestic childcare
   • 13 March 2020
   • Ofsted
   • Transparency
2. Number of children’s centres: 2003 to 2019
   • 7 November 2019
   • Department for Education
   • Transparency
3. Childminder and home childcarer (nanny) applications
   • 22 July 2019
   • Ofsted
   • Transparency
4. Ofsted Inspectors: lists
   • 1 July 2019
   • Ofsted
   • Transparency
5. Ofsted Annual Report 2017/18: education, children’s services and skills
   • 4 December 2018
   • Ofsted
   • Corporate report

See more transparency and freedom of information releases in this topic

Organisations

1. Department for Education
2. HM Revenue & Customs
3. Standards & Testing Agency
4. Department for Work & Pensions
5. Public Health England

Show more organisations

1. Department of Health & Social Care
2. Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
3. HM Treasury
4. Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
5. Office for Product Safety & Standards
6. Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street
7. Companies House
8. Disclosure & Barring Service

1. Ofsted
2. UK Council for Internet Safety

Explore sub-topics

1. Data collection for early years and childcare
2. Finding childcare
3. Local authorities and early years
4. Providing childcare