This information has been shared by Ofsted and will be helpful to all newly registering childminders. Please feel free to share it widely.
You will find some useful pre-registration information in this guidance.
Use the Ofsted Online website to register with Ofsted as a childminder. Currently, to do this you will need a Government Gateway login. The Government Gateway is the way everyone needs to access many government services at the moment, and means you don’t need separate logins to pay tax, apply for a driver’s licence, pay VAT or other transaction. It’s very secure.
You’ll need some documents ready to complete your registration:
- DBS certificate for you, and for anyone in your house who is aged 16 or over. This link should be used to register you as a childminder, to register an assistant, and anyone such as a family member or lodger who lives in your house. Ofsted will only accept DBS disclosure notices obtained via another organisation if it is an enhanced level check, and the individual has also registered with the update service. You need to register with the update service within 19 days of the certificate being issued and a subscription must be paid annually.
- Forms of proof of I.D and address, and a verified Identity Checking Form from the same site. There is a list of people who can provide a reference for you on the site and a list of the suitable documents we can accept. These need to be scanned in and emailed, not sent in the post. If you’ve changed your name you’ll need a marriage or deed poll certificate.
- Fill in form EY2 (and an EYC form, which is for people who are living in your house to complete, if necessary) available here. You will receive from Ofsted a URN or ‘unique reference number’ - quote this on anything you send us. You will need a DBS certificate number before you can do this part.
- Military personnel - you may need a SSAFA or Core Assets check if you or someone in your house has lived or worked on a UK military base overseas. This can take around six weeks.
- Health Declaration - download a Health Declaration Booklet and get your GP to sign it - download it here. Then return it to us at:
FAO Applications team,
ARC, Ofsted,
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester, M1 2WD.
Please quote your URN on it so we can tie it up with the rest of your application. Be aware that Ofsted will occasionally follow up with you if they have further questions.
- Paediatric First Aid - make sure you have a paediatric first aid certificate before you register or be signed up to a course which will give you this certificate within six weeks of your registration visit.
- Ofsted fee - you will be required to pay a fee to Ofsted. You can find more information about the current fee structure for the different registers here.
- Pre-registration training - you should have completed a course in childminding registration to ensure that you’re capable of delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage – but you don’t have to re-do any training just for this registration if you’ve already got an NVQ level 3 or similar qualification. Your registration visit from the Ofsted Inspector will be based around checking this understanding.
- What Ofsted do next - when you submit your application, Ofsted will follow the procedures detailed here. This website also covers information about how to object to and appeal a decision and how to withdraw your application if you change your mind.
- Registration visit - when your registration visit happens, you’ll need proof of I.D / address again and be able to show your DBS certificate and first aid if possible. You will find guidance for the registration visit in the Early Years Registration handbook (page 16 onwards).
How to contact Ofsted
You can telephone: 0300 123 1231 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm)
You can email: [email protected]
Thank you to the Ofsted Registration Facebook page for writing this guide.
Please ask if you have any questions. Thank you, Sarah