• Find an early years and childcare inspection report
• Understanding an early years and childcare inspection report
• Types of early years and childcare Ofsted inspects
• Inspecting early years and childcare
• Types of early years and childcare Ofsted regulates
• Regulating early years and childcare; applying to be a provider
  • About the two early years and childcare registers
  • Registration not required
  • Before the registration process as a childminder
  • Registering as a childminder
  • After registration as a childminder
• Safeguarding children
• Children's centres
• About our survey reports
• How to complain

About the two early years and childcare registers

A childminder can apply to join one register or both registers at the same time, or at other times.

If you want to be a childminder, you must register on the Early Years Register if:

• you plan to look after children at any time, day or night, in the early years age group

and

• you plan to look after at least one child for a period of more than two hours in any day in a home environment for reward.

Please note that:

• there are a number of exemptions; in particular, you cannot be a childminder to a relative’s child
• this does not apply to childcare arrangements between friends where the friends take turns to look after each other’s children, or there is no reward involved
• reward does not have to be money; for example, it can be someone giving you food in return for you looking after their child
• a home environment will probably be your home but it can be another person’s home, but not the child’s home (this is home childcare); for further information go to the early years and childcare providers registration pages.

Early Years Register

The Early Years Register is for those caring for children from birth until the 31 August after their fifth birthday – this is known as the early years age group.

These providers must follow the Early Years Foundation Stage which is the government framework for the education and welfare of children in the early years age group. In this case you should:

• read the Early Years Foundation Stage before you apply; the Department for Education website has more information on the Early Years Foundation Stage

and

• make sure that you can meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage before you apply, including having first-aid training before registration.

You should contact your local authority and arrange to attend one of its pre-registration briefings for early years' applicants.

For information on on the requirements of the Early Years Register, go to The requirements of the Early Years Register.

Childcare Register

The Childcare Register has providers who care for children from birth to 17 years. It has two parts:

the compulsory part

• Providers must register if they care for one child or more from the 1 September following their fifth birthday until they reach their eighth birthday for a period of more than two hours in any day.

the voluntary part

• Providers who are not eligible for compulsory registration may choose to register here. These are mainly people looking after children aged eight and over, or providing care in the child’s home like a nanny.

Requirements for the Childcare Register include first-aid training and a relevant qualification before registering. For further information on the requirements, go to Requirements for the Childcare Register: childminders and home childcarers.

You cannot be a childminder for children aged under eight if you are not registered on the Childcare Register, unless you are exempt from doing so. If you do such childminding, we will take action and may take you to court.