Providing childcare services in England
Find out what you must do to register as a childcare provider with Ofsted, as well as how you must run certain parts of your service.
Find out what you need to do if you want to apply to:
- be a childminder
- be a nanny
- be a nursery or other type of daycare
- register on the Childcare Register, if you do not fit into one of the above categories
Each set also has important information for running that type of childcare. This includes:
- adding a setting where you can look after children
- which people you need to tell Ofsted about, including joiners or leavers
- reporting serious childcare incidents such as temporary closures, or a child’s illness or injury
- paying an Ofsted invoice
Childminders
To register as a childminder with Ofsted, you will need to be looking after other families’ children in someone’s home. This can be your home, or someone else’s.
To register as a childminder without domestic premises, you will need to be looking after other families’ children on non-domestic premises. As a childminder without domestic premises you cannot work from domestic premises at any time.
You can only have a maximum of 4 adults, including yourself, working at the same time.
Nannies
You will need to be looking after only 1 or 2 families’ children at the same time in order to be registered as a nanny with Ofsted. This will have to be in one of those children’s homes.
Nurseries and other daycares
You will need to register as a daycare if you will be looking after children aged between birth and the 31 August following their fifth birthday.
You will be doing this in either:
- a place that is not someone’s home
- a home where 5 or more people will be working with the children at the same time
Childcare registrations
If you do not meet the requirements for any of the above 3 types of childcare, you might still be able to join the Childcare Register.
This will usually be if you are running a sports club for children or before and after school care.
Situations where you cannot or do not have to register
Guidance on types of childcare that are exempt from registration, childcare where you can choose to register voluntarily and the 2-hour rule.
Updates to this page
Last updated 1 November 2024 + show all updates
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Application guidance for a new childcare provider type ‘childminders without domestic premises’ was added, following changes introduced by the Department for Education’s EYFS framework.
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Updated to include information on paying the annual registration fee by direct debit.
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Updated to include information and links to new digital services for childminders and nannies. There is no change in law or policy.
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First published.