Providing childcare services in England
Find out what you must do to register as a childcare provider with Ofsted, as well as how you must run certain parts of your service.
There are 4 sets of guides, telling you what you need to do if you want to apply to:
- be a childminder
- be a nanny
- be a nursery or other type of daycare
- register on the Childcare Register, if you do not fit into one of the above categories
Each set also has important information for running that type of childcare. This includes:
- adding a setting where you can look after children
- which people you need to tell Ofsted about, including joiners or leavers
- reporting serious childcare incidents such as temporary closures, or a child’s illness or injury
- paying an Ofsted invoice
Childminders
To register as a childminder with Ofsted, you will need to be looking after other families’ children in someone’s home. This can be your home, or someone else’s.
You can only have a maximum of 3 adults, including yourself, working at the same time.
Nannies
You will need to be looking after only 1 or 2 families’ children at the same time in order to be registered as a nanny with Ofsted. This will have to be in one of those children’s homes.
Nurseries and other daycares
You will need to register as a daycare if you will be looking after children aged between birth and the 31 August following their fifth birthday.
You will be doing this in either:
- a place that is not someone’s home
- a home where 4 or more people will be working with the children at the same time
Childcare registrations
If you do not meet the requirements for any of the above 3 types of childcare, you might still be able to join the Childcare Register.
This will usually be if you are running a sports club for children or before and after school care.
Last updated 2 March 2020 + show all updates
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Updated to include information on paying the annual registration fee by direct debit.
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Updated to include information and links to new digital services for childminders and nannies. There is no change in law or policy.
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First published.