Guidance

How Ofsted inspects childminders

Updated 20 March 2024

Applies to England

Introduction

This guide is for you if you are a parent of a child who receives early years education and care from a childminder registered with Ofsted. If your child attends a childminder registered with a childminder agency (CMA), you may find it helpful to contact the agency for more information about how they quality assure their registered childminders.

Why Ofsted inspects childminders

We must inspect childminders by law.

We inspect childminders under our education inspection framework (EIF). These inspections give parents information about the education and care their child is receiving. They also check that childminders remain suitable to look after children and that they are meeting the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage.

How often we inspect childminders

We usually inspect new childminders within 30 months of their registration and then at least once every 6 years.

We inspect more often if we receive a concern about a childminder and we assess any risks that we know of. How quickly we inspect or visit depends on how serious the concern is.

If we decide that a childminder’s provision for children is inadequate, we usually re-inspect within 6 months. If we can, we re-inspect childminders judged as ‘requires improvement’ within 12 months. See information about the judgements we make.

How long inspections last

An inspection will not normally take longer than 3 hours. Sometimes, such as when a childminder works with assistants, the inspection may take longer. The inspector will let the childminder know as soon as possible if this is going to be the case. The inspector will be mindful that the childminder must supervise children and continue to always meet their needs during the inspection.

How much notice we give

We ring childminders up to 5 days before their inspection. We give this notice so that we can check which days they are caring for children and when children will be present. The inspector will not give the exact date of the inspection but will let the childminder know what time of day the inspection will start so that the childminder will be in. This also means that the childminder will be able to leave the house if the inspector has not arrived by that time.

There are some situations when we inspect without giving any notice. This is normally when the childminder’s provision was inadequate at their last inspection or because concerns have been raised that indicate they may not be meeting requirements of the early years foundation stage (EYFS).

The childminder must let you know that they are going to be inspected. We’ll also give them a poster to display on their door while the inspection is taking place.

What an inspection looks like

Inspectors want to know what it is like for your child at their setting. They will spend most of their time observing the daily routines and activities the childminder provides. This helps the inspectors to judge how well the childminder promotes children’s learning, progress, safety and well-being. It also means that they can tell the childminder what they are doing well and what they need to improve.

Inspectors will not do anything that disrupts your child’s daily routine. They will work around the childminder and children. They’ll reassure the childminder that their care for the children must still be their priority.

Some of the things inspectors do on inspection are:

• look at how the childminder keeps children safe

• watch the children play

• ask children what they’re learning from the activities and experiences the childminder gives them

• ask the childminder about how engaged the children are and how much they understand

• talk to parents about what they think of the care and education provided

• observe the interactions between the childminder and children and how well the childminder supports their communication and language development

• talk to the childminder about their understanding of what children know and can do, and how they are supporting children to develop further

• make sure that the childminder meets all their legal responsibilities, including for vulnerable children

At the end of the inspection, the inspector will tell the childminder what the judgement is. They will also go through the findings and tell the childminder what their strengths and weaknesses are.

The report is published a few weeks later on our website. The childminder should provide you with a copy.

The COVID-19 pandemic

We take into account the COVID-19 pandemic and the disruption it has caused. The inspector will ask the childminder about any ongoing impact of the pandemic and how they are dealing with the situation. They will consider this in the inspection judgement.

Speaking to the inspector

You may have the chance to speak to the inspector, for example when you drop off or collect your child. Your views will help the inspector to determine how well the setting works with parents to support children’s learning and well-being. Inspectors try to speak to parents without the childminder present so that you feel comfortable to share your views openly.

The childminder may arrange a telephone conversation with the inspector if you are unable to speak to the inspector in person and would like to. The inspector may ask you about:

• what the childminder tells you about your child’s learning and how to support their learning at home

• what you know about what the childminder is doing to support your child’s development (sometimes referred to as ‘next steps’)

• what the childminder has told you about the progress your child is making

• how any funding is being used to support any individual needs

Inspectors cannot deal with complaints concerning children. Nor can they settle disputes between parents and the childminder. If you are worried about your childminder’s provision, you should start by talking directly to the childminder first. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can follow Ofsted’s complaints process.

Information about the judgements we make

Inspectors judge a childminder’s provision for:

• overall effectiveness
• the quality of education
• behaviour and attitudes
• personal development
• leadership and management

The grades inspectors give are:

• outstanding
• good
• requires improvement
• inadequate

If there are no children present, it will not be a full inspection. The inspector will check that the childminder is still suitable to be registered. Instead of the grades listed above, they will decide whether ‘Overall quality and standards of the early years provision’ are met or not.

There are 3 possible outcomes:

• met – the childminder is meeting requirements

• not met with actions – if the childminder is not meeting EYFS requirements but can fix this quickly, the inspector will tell them what to do to improve

• not met with enforcement – if the childminder is not meeting requirements and is risking children’s health, safety and well-being, the childminder will receive a welfare requirements notice. Ofsted will check that the childminder has done what they need to do before the next inspection

Childminders who only offer before- and after-school care or holiday provision for children who normally attend school

These childminders do not have to meet the learning and development requirements of the EYFS. If the childminder looks after children who are younger than Reception age, they must understand and know about the learning and development requirements of the EYFS but do not need to meet them. They only need to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the EYFS. Parents can read more about this type of inspection in the parents’ guide to Before- and after-school and holiday provision inspections.

How we inspect and report on safeguarding

Every setting must have an open, positive culture of safeguarding that puts children’s interests first. You can find more information about what this means in our handbook.

Our inspectors will always look at how well the childminder helps and protects children so that they are kept safe. Inspectors will consider the safeguarding culture that the setting has established when making a judgement. They will consider a range of evidence to evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets out the requirements that providers must meet. If the childminder is not meeting one or more of these, inspectors will consider the impact that this is having on children’s safety and well-being when making a judgement about safeguarding.

The safeguarding section of the inspection report will tell you if the childminder’s arrangements for safeguarding  are effective or not effective. If we judge safeguarding to be ineffective, the main body of the report will explain the weaknesses that were found. The report will include any actions the childminder needs to take to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements. If we judge safeguarding to be ineffective, the childminder can only be judged inadequate. This means that inspectors will usually return to inspect the childminder again within 6 months.

Gathering personal information on inspection

Inspectors need to collect some personal information during an inspection. The law gives inspectors the right to enter property, gather information or take copies. They record information on Ofsted’s systems but all notes or copies are only kept centrally and securely.

If you want more information, you can read our privacy notice.

Read our other guides for parents