Childminders and Nannies

Once you've applied to be registered as a childminder, Ofsted will visit your setting to assess and approve your application for registration (it can take up to 12 weeks to become registered with Ofsted).  This will help to assess your suitability as a childminder.

At this visit, the inspector will expect you to be ready to begin childminding, so you should ensure that you have everything ready.

You must ensure you understand your role and responsibilities and have due regard to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in order to comply with learning and development and safeguarding and welfare requirements.

This support document will help you to prepare for the registration visit:

Preparing for your Ofsted Registration Visit

The Government are supporting childminders by helping with the costs incurred when registering Apply for the Childminder Start Up Grant of £600

Buckinghamshire Council Early Years Service provides free support for childminders who are registered within the county:

• After completing training to become a childminder and beginning the Ofsted registration process, childminders may contact the Buckinghamshire Council Early Years Service who can support a proposed childminder with a visit before their Ofsted registration visit. Contact The Early Years Team
• Following registration all childminders will be allocated a named Key Contact at the Buckinghamshire Council Early Years Service who they can contact for support over the phone or email, including supporting childminders in their role as SENCO for their setting.
• The Buckinghamshire Council Early Years Service will provide support for registered childminders to become a member of the directory of funded providers.

Early Years 2, 3 & 4 year old funding

• All childminders who provide government funded childcare places are offered 1 visit per year from their Key Contact at Buckinghamshire Council Early Years Service which will be followed up by a report providing recommendations for improving your practice. The support your Key Contact can offer you includes:
  • EYFS Learning & Development
  • Supporting children with SEND
  • Safeguarding and welfare
  • Preparing for your inspection
  • How to run a successful childminding business

This EYFS audit can be used by registered childminders in Buckinghamshire to monitor, review and evaluate practice and procedure within the setting.

Childminders must ensure they understand their role and responsibilities and have due regard to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in order to comply with learning and development and safeguarding and welfare requirements.

Childminder EYFS Audit Tool

You may wish to discuss key aspects of these audits with your Early Years Key Contact either prior to or during a visit. If you are unsure who your key contact is, please contact The Early Years Team

Early years inspection handbook - GOV.UK

Patterns from Recent Ofsted Inspections in Buckinghamshire

Early Years 2, 3 & 4 year old funding

Childminder guide to offering the funded entitlement in Bucks

Please contact Buckinghamshire Council Early Years Service to begin the process The Early Years Team

Funded Childminders looking to register with a Childminding Agency:

If you are currently a funded childminder and you are considering registering with a childminder agency, it is important that you apply to join the Buckinghamshire funding directory under your new agency Ofsted registration. You must do this before your existing Ofsted registration is cancelled. This is because funding can only be paid to an active Ofsted registration that has been approved for the directory, and funding cannot be paid retrospectively. Please speak to your Key Contact for any support with this or contact The Early Years Team

• Buckinghamshire Early Years and Childcare Training Hub
• Childminder specific training
• Childminder Early Years Networking Briefings
• Childminder Side by Side Project (by invitation only)
• SENCO Liaison Group