Ofsted takes almost 10 weeks on average to approve childminder assistants, new figures reveal

Childcare.co.uk Freedom of Information investigation reveals approval times have risen significantly, with some applications taking more than two years to process.

New figures obtained by Childcare.co.uk under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that Ofsted took an average of 49 working days — almost 10 weeks — to determine the suitability of childminder assistants between September 2025 and August 2026.

The figures represent a substantial increase compared with Ofsted's previously published average of 34 working days, which related to the period April 2024 to March 2025.

The findings raise concerns about the time childminders may have to wait before they can employ assistants to help care for children, potentially restricting the availability of childcare places and placing additional pressure on small childcare businesses.

Approval times reached 12 weeks in August

According to Ofsted's official response, 2,921 childminder assistants were determined suitable during the 12-month period ending August 2026.

The average processing time was 49 working days, equivalent to almost 10 weeks, while the median was 33 working days.

However, the figures reveal that processing times varied considerably throughout the year.

In August 2026, the average reached 60 working days — equivalent to 12 working weeks, the highest monthly average recorded during the period.

The figures also reveal exceptionally lengthy cases, with the longest recorded processing time reaching 622 working days, equivalent to approximately two years and five months of working weeks.

Ofsted explained that some particularly lengthy cases involve additional suitability assessments, requests for further information or applicants seeking approval for multiple roles.

It also acknowledged that administrative recording issues can make some processing times appear longer than the time applicants actually waited.

Ofsted admits problems with its records

Perhaps one of the most concerning findings is Ofsted's acknowledgement that its internal records do not always accurately reflect the progress of suitability assessments.

In its response to Childcare.co.uk, Ofsted identified several issues affecting the reliability of its data.

These include applications remaining marked as in progress even after an assistant has been deemed suitable, application statuses not being updated correctly and administrative tasks being completed after suitability decisions have already been communicated.

Ofsted confirmed that these issues can result in reported processing times appearing longer than the actual time taken to issue suitability decisions.

This raises questions about the accuracy of the statistics used to monitor Ofsted's performance and the extent to which its published figures reflect applicants' experiences.

Waiting times may not include the entire application process

The Freedom of Information request also sought to establish exactly when Ofsted starts measuring the time taken to approve an assistant.

Ofsted confirmed that its processing-time clock begins only when a fully completed application has been accepted onto its system.

This means any time spent before an application is accepted is excluded from the reported processing figures.

However, once an application has been accepted, the time spent obtaining necessary suitability checks, including DBS and local authority information, forms part of the processing period.

Ofsted stated that it only holds processing data from the point at which a completed application is accepted, meaning it could not provide separate statistics covering any earlier period.

Consequently, the figures do not necessarily represent the complete time experienced by every childminder from first initiating the process to receiving approval.

Why this matters to childminders

Childminder assistants play an important role in helping registered childminders operate their businesses.

Employing an assistant can enable a childminder to care for additional children, subject to the applicable staffing ratios and regulatory requirements. Assistants can also provide valuable flexibility, including helping with school collections and covering short periods when a childminder needs to attend appointments.

However, assistants must be determined suitable by Ofsted before they can begin working in the childminding setting.

Lengthy approval times can therefore create practical and financial difficulties for childminders who are hoping to expand their provision, offer additional childcare places or recruit support.

With many families struggling to find suitable childcare, unnecessary administrative delays risk creating further barriers to increasing childcare capacity.

Childcare.co.uk calls for greater transparency

Childcare.co.uk believes that robust suitability checks are essential to safeguarding children and maintaining confidence in the childcare sector.

However, these checks must also be carried out efficiently, consistently and transparently.

The findings highlight the importance of ensuring that Ofsted's published processing-time statistics accurately reflect when decisions are made and communicated to applicants.

Childcare.co.uk is calling for greater transparency around approval times, improvements to administrative record-keeping and a clearer understanding of how long childminders actually wait for assistants to be approved.

In particular, further information is needed about the number of applications experiencing exceptionally lengthy delays and the extent to which inaccurate administrative records affect reported performance.

What happens next?

Childcare.co.uk is examining Ofsted's response and considering further questions about the accuracy and completeness of the information provided.

We believe childminders should have access to reliable, up-to-date information about how long suitability decisions are likely to take, enabling them to plan recruitment and childcare provision with greater confidence.

Childminders deserve an approval process that is thorough, efficient and transparent.

We will continue to monitor this issue and highlight concerns affecting childminders and the families who rely on their services.

About the investigation

The findings were obtained through a Freedom of Information request submitted by Childcare.co.uk to Ofsted on 25 September 2026.

Ofsted responded on 28 October 2026 under reference CAS-516534-D401V3.

The figures cover suitability decisions recorded between 1 September 2025 and 31 August 2026.

All processing times are expressed in working days. The reported figures are subject to the administrative and data-quality limitations acknowledged by Ofsted.

Source: Ofsted Freedom of Information response 28 October 2026.