Frequently asked questions 

Childcare search
Searchable database for childcare in the borough on the National Childcare website.

Regulations

Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education) are responsible for the registration and inspection of day care and childminding. These services were previously regulated by local authorities.  Ofsted checks that day-care providers and childminders throughout England meet the national standards. This means that parents can be confident in the standard of childcare wherever they live.

The national standards represent a level of quality that no provider may fall below. There are 14 national standards for each type of day care and childminding provision:

For detailed information about the national standards visit Surestart.

Ofsted carries out five main regulatory functions in order to ensure that day-care providers and childminders meet the national standards:

  1. Registration:
    All day-care providers have to be registered with Ofsted. Registration includes a criminal records check, a health check and an inspection of the premises before the providers begin caring for children. Any other person who will have contact with children at the premises is also checked. 
     
  2. Inspection:
    After registration Ofsted will continue to regularly inspect day-care providers and childminders to ensure that the people and the premises continue to provide a suitable standard of care for young children, in line with the national standards. 
     
  3. Investigation:
    An Ofsted investigation of a childcare provider can be triggered by many actions, including complaints made by parents or members of the public. Ofsted will consider all complaints and investigate providers to ensure that they continue to meet the national standards. 
     
  4. Enforcement:
    Ofsted uses information gathered during an inspection or investigation to take action to ensure that day-care providers and childminders meet the national standards. This usually means adding 'conditions' to their registration. In serious cases this action may mean cancelling the registration of the childminder or day-care provider. 
     
  5. Ofsted also uses information gathered during the above functions to advise the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and local authorities on child care issues.

Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)

The DDA sets out two main duties for childcare providers:

To find out if a childcare provider can cater for your need you should discuss your individual requirements with the childcare provider.

For further information contact:
The Family Information Service or The Disability Rights Commission – tel: 08457 622 633, email: enquiry@drc-gb.org.