Childminders on the compulsory Childcare Register: Ofsted requirements
Source: gov.uk (2025-04-10)

Requirements you must meet if you are a childminder and registered with Ofsted on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

This guidance is for childminders on the compulsory Childcare Register. If you’re also on the Early Years Register, you should follow the early years foundation stage (EYFS) framework (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2). Find out more about the Ofsted registers (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/childminders-and-childcare-providers-register-with-ofsted/the-ofsted-registers).

Once you’re registered with Ofsted you must meet these ongoing requirements. We will check this if we carry out an inspection (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/carrying-out-childcare-register-inspections).

Child welfare

You are responsible for ensuring the children’s welfare and safety. You must:
- keep the children being cared for safe from harm and make sure that everyone looking after children is alert to any signs of harm
- be present on the premises at all times while providing the childcare – the only exception to this is that a childminding assistant can look after children for up to 2 hours a day if their parents have given their permission
- make sure that there is at least one person aged 18 or over for every 6 children being looked after
- make sure that anyone under the age of 17 who looks after children is always supervised by someone aged 18 or over
- make sure that no one smokes or consumes alcohol or drugs on the premises while providing childcare or around any children being cared for, including medication that might affect their ability to look after children
- make sure that children’s behaviour is managed in a suitable way
- not use corporal punishment, and you must make sure that no-one else looking after children, or living or working on the premises, uses corporal punishment on a child
Safeguarding

You must:
- have, and follow, a written policy to safeguard children from abuse or neglect
- provide support and guidance on child protection issues to everyone who looks after children
- liaise with any local safeguarding partnerships and any director of children’s services if necessary
- not let children have unsupervised contact with anyone who does not have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring (DBS) check with barred lists
Training

You must:
- complete a relevant childminding course to enable you to meet the requirements
- provide training on the procedures in your safeguarding policy to everyone who looks after children
- attend child protection training
- make sure that at least one person looking after children has an appropriate first aid qualification
Checking suitability

You, and anyone else looking after the children, must:
- be suitable to work with children
- have good enough English to ensure the children’s welfare and safety
You must have an effective system in place to make sure these requirements are met.

You must make sure that everyone who looks after children has obtained an enhanced DBS check with barred lists.

You must provide or arrange any training that is necessary to make sure that everyone who looks after the children has suitable skills and experience.

Anyone aged 16 or over who lives on the domestic premises where childcare takes place or works there during childcare hours must have an enhanced DBS check with barred lists and be suitable to be in contact with children (see ‘People connected with Ofsted-registered childcare’ (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-connected-with-ofsted-registered-childcare)).

Your premises and equipment

Your premises and equipment must be safe and suitable for childcare.

You must:
- make sure that no child can leave the premises, and no one can enter the premises, without someone who is providing childcare becoming aware
- have enough suitable toilet and handwashing facilities for the children you look after
- provide access to a secure outdoor space, or if this isn’t possible, make reasonable arrangements for outdoor activities
- take all necessary measures to minimise any health and safety risks to children and staff from the premises, equipment or activities
You must display your registration certificate on the premises. If applicable, you must also display any notice of suspension there for the period of suspension.

Food and drink

You must make sure that:
- you have a suitable place to prepare food, if you provide it
- any food and drink provided to the children is properly prepared, wholesome and nutritious
- the children have access to drinking water
Organising your childcare

You must make arrangements with other childcare providers or with parents for occasions when you cannot provide childcare.

You must not refuse to look after a child or treat them less well than another child because of any of the following:
- the child’s race, home language, family background or gender
- the religion or belief of the child or the child’s parents
- any disability or learning difficulty that the child may have – this means that you must follow your legal responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 (for example, the provisions on reasonable adjustments)
You must have public liability insurance. This covers death, injury, public liability, damage or other loss.

Looking after children on non-domestic premises

If you are a childminder working from domestic premises, you are also permitted to work some of your time from non-domestic premises, such as a church hall or community centre. Use our guidance to apply to work from non-domestic premises (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childcare-providers-eya-approval-to-operate-from-non-domestic-premises). We will need to approve any non-domestic premises before you can work there.

If you are a childminder without domestic premises, you will spend all of your time working from non-domestic premises. Under this registration, you are not permitted to work from any domestic premises at any time.

Dealing with complaints

You must:
- have a written complaints policy and fully investigate each complaint
- keep written records for 3 years of any complaint, the investigation outcome and any action taken
- respond (in writing, if requested) to the parent who made the complaint, setting out the findings of the investigation and any resulting actions – you must do this as soon as reasonably possible but within 28 days of the complaint being made
- provide, if we ask for it, a summary of complaints for the last 12 months and any action taken, or a list of all complaints made during the last 3 years, within a reasonable timeframe that we specify
Keeping records and providing information

You must record the following for each child:
- their name, home address and date of birth
- their parents’ names, home address and telephone number
- the days and times when they attend the childcare
You must also record, as soon as reasonably possible:
- any accidents that happen on the premises
- any medicine given to a child, or that a child takes themselves, including the date, circumstances, person who gave it and the parents’ consent
- the name, home address and telephone number of everyone living on the premises or working there during childcare hours
You should keep this information for 2 years from the date it was recorded.

Giving parents information

You must give the following information to parents whose children you look after:
- details of the children’s activities
- copies of your written policies
- information about Ofsted’s role in registering and regulating childcare (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/information-for-parents-about-ofsteds-role-in-regulating-childcare)
- if you are registered as a ‘childminder without domestic premises’ you must inform parents that you are not permitted to provide any provision under your registration from any domestic premises, which includes the drop-off and/or collection of a child
Giving Ofsted information

You must tell us about any serious incidents. You should do this as soon as possible but within 14 days. Find out what serious incidents you need to report and how to tell Ofsted (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/report-a-serious-childcare-incident).

You must also tell us about any changes to:
- your full name, address, telephone number
- the address where you provide childcare, working hours and number of children you look after (including any children you are related to)
- any people living on the premises (childminders on domestic premises only)
- any people working on the premises during childcare hours (see ‘Childminders: report new people in the setting’ (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/childminders-report-new-adults-in-the-home) and ‘Childminders: tell Ofsted about adults leaving the home’ (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/childminders-tell-ofsted-about-adults-leaving-the-home))