Depending on the type of service you provide, you may need to register with Ofsted, a childminder agency (CMA) or the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW).

England

You need to meet the standards and requirements of the relevant childcare register. The childcare register in England is a list of individuals and organisations that provide childcare services for children aged from birth to 17 years old. The register is divided into two parts: the early years register and the general childcare register. The early years register covers providers who care for children from birth to the end of the academic year in which they turn five. The general childcare register covers providers who care for children aged five and over, or who care for children of any age in certain circumstances, such as after-school clubs or holiday schemes.

The register is maintained by Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills, which inspects and regulates the quality and safety of childcare provision. To be registered, providers must meet certain requirements and standards, such as having appropriate qualifications, training, insurance, policies and procedures. Providers who are registered on the childcare register can receive government funding and tax credits to support their work, and parents can check the register to find suitable and trustworthy childcare options for their children.

The standards and requirements for the early years register are set out in the statutory framework. It sets the standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five years old.

The general Childcare Register has two parts: the voluntary and compulsory parts, which have different requirements for registration. To register on either part, providers must meet certain standards and follow relevant legislation, such as health and safety, disability discrimination, food hygiene, fire and planning requirements. Ofsted is the authority that regulates and inspects providers on the Childcare Register, and it can take enforcement action if providers do not comply with the legal requirements or operate without registration.

Many nurseries choose to be on both registers, to allow flexibility for the business to also provide care for older children during school holidays and before and after school.

External resources

• Starting a nursery or other daycare and running the business – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Framework for the regulation of providers on the Childcare Register – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Wales

In Wales you will need to the meet the National Minimum Standards for Regulated Child Care. You must register to provide day care for children under eight years old, on non-domestic premises, for more than two hours a day and at least five days a year. You can apply online through the CIW website and provide information about your personal details, financial records, manager, staff, building plans and day care arrangements. You may also be eligible for business support and funding from the Welsh Government, such as the Childcare Offer for Wales, Non-Domestic rates relief and Flying Start programme. For more information and advice, you can contact Business Wales, Social Business Wales, Prime Cymru or CWLWM, a consortium of childcare and play work organisations in Wales.

External resources

• Starting a nursery (Wales) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Register a Childcare and Play Service | Care Inspectorate Wales
• National Minimum Standards for regulated childcare | GOV.WALES
• Flying Start: guidance | GOV.WALES
• Register your childcare setting to get the Childcare Offer for Wales | GOV.WALES

Other legal requirements

As well as registering with the appropriate Regulatory bodies, there are also some legal requirements you will need to follow and certain rules you will need to comply. Here are some of the main steps you need to take:

External resources

• Example menus for early years settings in England – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Food and nutrition guidance for childcare providers | GOV.WALES

PACEY resources

• Spotlight on Nutrition
• Spotlight on GDPR
• Level 2 Food safety and hygiene course, accredited by the Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH)
• ***Coming soon*** Delivering the Early years foundation stage statutory framework for group and school-based providers training course. Explore the requirements of the framework in detail.

Exclusive member only resources

• Practice hub topic: Inclusion, a wealth of resources to support inclusion, diversity and equality
• Business hub topic: Record keeping, explore our resources covering topics including GDPR and paperwork
• Practice hub topic: Food and drink, resources to support practitioners to have the knowledge and skills to supply food and drink in a safe and nutritionally balanced way.