Pre-registration support
You must register with Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) as a childminder if you provide care for one or more children - in your own home - for reward or payment - for more than 2 hours a day.
Before registering with Ofsted, you must –
After your pre-registration course and all the documentation has been returned to Ofsted (DBS checks, doctors letters etc) you will receive a visit from an Ofsted inspector to assess your suitability to register with them.
Understanding the statutory requirements
There are 2 statutory documents with which childminders must comply -
Planning for your first inspection
You will receive a phone call from an Ofsted inspector within 30 months of your registration to arrange your first inspection. Your inspector will ask when you are working - you can put off the visit for a short time if you do not have children. You will be given an indication of when the inspector might be coming - but not a date or time.
Before your first inspection you will need to think about putting together evidence of how you manage your business. Most childminders have a ‘portfolio of evidence’ or similar file.
If you have any questions about inspection, please ask.
You must register with Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) as a childminder if you provide care for one or more children - in your own home - for reward or payment - for more than 2 hours a day.
Before registering with Ofsted, you must –
- Complete a pre-registration training course if you do not have any experience of working with early years children.
- Pay for Ofsted approved Capita home-based enhanced DBS checks for all over 16s living or working on your premises.
- Complete an Ofsted approved paediatric first aid course.
- Request a Health Declaration Booklet from your doctor (costs vary) to state you are fit to work with children.
- Ask for permission from your landlord or mortgage company (if appropriate).
- Pay a registration fee to Ofsted – currently £35 a year.
- Apply to Ofsted.
- Prepare for a registration visit from Ofsted.
- Pay a registration fee to the Information Commissioners Office (www.ICO.gov.uk) to register as a data handler – currently £35 a year.
- Buy childminder insurance - we buy our insurance from Childcare.co.uk.
- Buy car insurance - you will need class 1 business insurance for your car if you intend using your car for your business - and you might need to change your mortgage and house insurance - you should check with your provider for more information.
After your pre-registration course and all the documentation has been returned to Ofsted (DBS checks, doctors letters etc) you will receive a visit from an Ofsted inspector to assess your suitability to register with them.
Understanding the statutory requirements
There are 2 statutory documents with which childminders must comply -
- The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) which covers statutory information about the safeguarding, welfare, care and education of babies and children up to school starting age (the end of the summer before they are 5).
- The Childcare Register which covers the safeguarding and welfare requirements for older children.
Planning for your first inspection
You will receive a phone call from an Ofsted inspector within 30 months of your registration to arrange your first inspection. Your inspector will ask when you are working - you can put off the visit for a short time if you do not have children. You will be given an indication of when the inspector might be coming - but not a date or time.
Before your first inspection you will need to think about putting together evidence of how you manage your business. Most childminders have a ‘portfolio of evidence’ or similar file.
If you have any questions about inspection, please ask.
