Ofsted Registered Childminders

What is a Childminder?

A childminder provides care for children of any age up to their 18th birthday on domestic premises for reward. Domestic premises mean any premises which are wholly or mainly used as a private dwelling, that is they are someone’s home. It does not have to be the childminder’s home but cannot normally be the home of one of the children for whom the childminder is providing care. People who look after children for one or two sets of parents, wholly or mainly in the home of either or both sets of parents, are not childminders but home childcarers. Reward can be money or payment by other means, such as gifts or services.

Childminders may work with up to two other people either as co-childminders or assistants. If the number of adults caring for the children exceeds three, people must register, with Ofsted, as a childcare provider on domestic premises and meet the additional requirements for childcare.

Childminders must apply for Ofsted registration if they intend to provide care for one or more children aged from birth to eight years where at least one individual child attends for a total of more than two hours. They cannot provide care before they receive their Ofsted registration certificate.

Childminders may choose to register with Ofsted if they intend to provide care for children aged from eight up to the age of 18 on domestic premises for two or more hours in any one day, or for a period less than two hours where this includes care attached to a normal school day for schools to deliver extended services.

Those caring for children aged from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (known as the early years age group) must register on the Early Years Register and deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. This sets out the welfare, learning and development requirements providers must meet.

Those caring for children older than the early years age group and under eight must register on the compulsory part of the Ofsted Childcare Register. Childminders caring for children aged eight and above may choose to be Ofsted registered on the voluntary part of the Childcare Register.