Become a childminder or nanny (England)
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1. Overview
If you want to be paid to look after children under 8, you might need to register with Ofsted or a childminder agency.
You can get a fine if you do not register when you need to.
You must register as a childminder if all of the following apply:
- the children are under the age of 8
- you look after them for more than 2 hours a day
- you look after them in your own home
- you get paid to look after them - including payment in kind
You can register with Ofsted online. To register with a childminder agency, contact them directly.
There are different rules if you want to provide daycare outside someone바카라 사이트™s home - for example a nursery or creche.
You do not need to register if you바카라 사이트™re:
- a nanny
- a tutor
- a babysitter and if you look after the children between 6pm and 2am
- a family friend and if you look after the children less than 3 hours a day
You can still choose to register if you바카라 사이트™re a nanny or in other situations. This helps the child바카라 사이트™s parents qualify for free childcare.
Check which register to join if you바카라 사이트™re not sure.
Who cannot register
You cannot register if you:
- are under 18
- are related to all of the children you look after
- do not have the legal right to work in the UK
- are barred from working with children
- have been disqualified
- have been refused registration in the past or had your registration cancelled - unless it was because you did not pay your annual fee
- are childminding in a home where a disqualified person lives or works
If you바카라 사이트™ve been disqualified, you may be able to apply to waive your disqualification
2. Which register to join
There are 2 registers - the Early Years Register and the Childcare Register.
Which register you join depends on:
- the age of the children you바카라 사이트™re looking after
- if you바카라 사이트™re registering as a childminder or a nanny
³Û´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™l±ô be prompted to join the correct register when you apply.
Children up to the age of 5
If you바카라 사이트™re a childminder and you look after children from birth to 5 years old you must join the Early Years Register. This lets you look after children up to 31 August after their fifth birthday.
³Û´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™l±ô get a registration visit from Ofsted when you apply.
If you apply through a childminder agency, you바카라 사이트™ll get a registration visit from the agency not Ofsted.
After you join the register you must follow the early years foundation stage (EYFS) framework.
Nannies cannot join the Early Years Register.
Children from 5 to 8 years old
If you바카라 사이트™re a childminder and you look after children from 5 to 8 years old you must join the Childcare Register. This lets you look after children from 1 September after their fifth birthday up to their eighth birthday.
As a nanny you can choose to join the Childcare Register, regardless of the age of the children you바카라 사이트™re looking after.
You may get a registration visit. You may also be inspected by Ofsted.
3. How much it costs
You need to pay an annual registration fee to Ofsted. ³Û´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™l±ô also have to pay for things like Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, training and insurance.
If you register with an agency instead, you바카라 사이트™ll need to discuss these costs directly with them.
Registration fee
³Û´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™l±ô have to pay the registration fee each year.
| Cost for childminders | Cost for nannies | |
|---|---|---|
| Childminders - caring only for children aged 5 or under | £35 | Not applicable |
| Childminders - caring only for children aged 5 or older | £103 | Not applicable |
| Childminders - caring for children of all ages | £35 | Not applicable |
| Register as a nanny | Not applicable | £103 |
DBS checks and health checks
| Cost for childminders | Cost for nannies | |
|---|---|---|
| Your DBS check | £49.50 | £49.50 |
| Checks for adults in your home | £49.50 each | Not applicable |
| Criminal DBS update service (recommended) | £16/²â±ð²¹°ù | £16/²â±ð²¹°ù |
| GP to fill in and sign health declaration booklet | £90 (approximately) | Not applicable |
Training
| Cost for childminders | Cost for nannies | |
|---|---|---|
| First aid course to cover the age groups you look after | £60 to £200 (approximately) | £60 to £200 (approximately) |
| Childcare training on the type of care you will provide - ask your council | Not required | £60 to £200 (approximately) |
Other costs
Public liability insurance costs approximately between £25 and £100.
It costs £40 to to keep digital records of children (childminders only).
4. Register as a nanny
You can register with Ofsted as a nanny or au pair to look after children in their own home.
A nanny can look after children from 1 or 2 families at the same time.
If you want to look after children from more than 2 families at the same time in their home, you바카라 사이트™ll need to register as a childminder instead.
What you바카라 사이트™ll need
You will need:
- first aid training
- childcare training - speak to your local council
- public liability insurance
- a certificate of good character from an embassy - if you바카라 사이트™ve lived abroad in the past 5 years
You will also need an enhanced check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Depending on where you live, you바카라 사이트™ll need either:
- an enhanced check with barred lists for home-based workers, if you live in the home where you work
- an enhanced check with barred lists, if you do not live in the home where you work
Ofsted will reject your application if you do not have the correct documents.
If you바카라 사이트™re helping someone else with their application
Data protection regulations mean we cannot share information about an application status with anyone except the nanny.
How much it costs
It costs £103 to register with Ofsted. This fee is not refundable.
How long it takes
It usually takes up to 12 weeks to process your application.
Register online
It should take you about 15 minutes to fill in the form.
5. Register as a childminder
You must register with Ofsted or a childminder agency to look after children in your home. There바카라 사이트™s a list of childminder agencies you can register with.
If you바카라 사이트™re looking after children in their own home, you should register with Ofsted as a nanny or au pair instead.
Registering as a childminder with Ofsted
You will need:
- an enhanced check with barred lists for home based workers from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
- first aid training for the age group you will look after
- a health declaration booklet
- contact details for 2 references
- a certificate of good character from an embassy - if you바카라 사이트™ve lived abroad in the past 5 years
Ofsted will reject your application if you do not have the correct documents.
Checks on other people in your home
You must tell Ofsted about new adults in the home where childcare takes place. This applies if they:
- move in
- start working there
This includes a child of yours already living in the home who turns 16.
If anyone aged 16 or over lives with you or works in your home regularly, they바카라 사이트™ll need to get an enhanced DBS check with barred lists.
The type of check they get depends on their role. For example, your partner would need to get a different check from someone who works in your home, such as a cleaner.
They바카라 사이트™ll also need to get a certificate of good character from an embassy if they바카라 사이트™ve lived abroad in the last 5 years.
If you바카라 사이트™re helping someone else with their application
Data protection regulations mean we cannot share information about an application status with anyone except the childminder.
How much it costs
It usually costs £35 to register with Ofsted. This fee is not refundable.
How long it takes
It usually takes up to 12 weeks to process your application.
Register online
It should take you about 30 minutes to fill in the form.
6. After you apply
When you submit your application Ofsted will:
- do background checks with local councils
- check your references
- give you a reference number to use if you have questions about your application
If you바카라 사이트™re a childminder
An inspector will visit you to check:
- your identity and qualifications - including first aid qualifications
- your house and garden are safe for children
- that you바카라 사이트™re familiar with the early years foundation stage (EYFS) requirements and know how to put them into practice
- your level of English
You will not usually get a registration visit if you바카라 사이트™re only looking after children aged over 5.
Find out how to prepare for your registration visit.
If your application is approved
³Û´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™l±ô get a certificate of registration if your application is approved. You will need this to start work as a childminder.
Ofsted will publish your unique reference number (바카라 사이트˜URN바카라 사이트™) and inspection reports online. If you바카라 사이트™re a childminder they will also publish your name and address - unless you tell them not to.
If your application is refused
Ofsted will send you a letter called a 바카라 사이트˜notice of intention바카라 사이트™ which will tell you why you바카라 사이트™ve been turned down.
³Û´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™l±ô be disqualified from applying again in future.
Object to a decision
You can object to a decision if you바카라 사이트™ve been sent a 바카라 사이트˜notice of intention바카라 사이트™.
You must object within 14 days of the date on the notice.
Ofsted will consider your objection, then tell you if:
- you바카라 사이트™re still refused registration
- you cannot look after children in a particular home
- your decision is overturned
If you do not object, or Ofsted does not change its decision, you바카라 사이트™ll get a second letter called a 바카라 사이트˜notice of decision바카라 사이트™. This is the final decision to refuse registration or approval of a certain premises.
Appeal a decision
If you disagree with Ofsted바카라 사이트™s final decision, you can appeal to an independent tribunal.
You must appeal within 3 months of the date that you바카라 사이트™re sent the notice of decision.
7. After you're registered
You must continue to meet the registration standards while you바카라 사이트™re working as a childminder or nanny.
³Û´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™l±ô need to:
- pay the annual registration fee
- keep your details up to date
- report any major accidents or incidents
Ofsted will inspect childminders and some nannies.
Keep your details up to date
You must tell Ofsted if:
- you change where you바카라 사이트™re working
- your contact details change
- you stop working as a childminder or nanny
Ofsted
enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk
If you바카라 사이트™re a childminder
You must tell Ofsted if:
- anyone 16 or over moves into your home or leaves your home
- your childminding assistants change
Reporting accidents and incidents
Use the early years incident online form to report:
- a serious accident, injury or illness to a child, for example food poisoning
- allegations that someone living, working or looking after children in your household has committed serious harm or abuse
- anything that might affect the suitability of someone on the premises to look after children
- a child바카라 사이트™s death
Providing other types of childcare
If you바카라 사이트™re a childminder, you can apply to set up childcare on non-domestic premises (for example, a playgroup or after-school club). You can work here for up to half of your time.
If you want to work with 3 or more childminders or childminding assistants in your home, you바카라 사이트™ll need to register as a daycare organisation (this is known as 바카라 사이트˜providing childcare on domestic premises바카라 사이트™).