Registering as a Childminder

When registering as a Childminder with Ofsted, you must have the following in place:

• Complete a DBS Check: Candidates are required to complete the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check BEFORE registering with Ofsted. Please note: All people aged 16 and over who are regularly in your home must have a DBS disclosure (this includes family members).
• Complete the relevant training, including a 12 hour Paediatric first aid course and the Introduction to Childcare Practice Course (CYPOP5) and Food and Hygiene Course.
• Health Declaration Booklet: Ensure your GP has signed your Health Declaration Booklet, confirming that you have no health conditions which may prevent them from working as a Childminder.
• Have contacted your referees. Ofsted require that you have 3 references.

Once you have met the criteria (above) to make an application and it is accepted by Ofsted, you then have eight weeks to provide details of the relevant training courses you have completed, provide your health declaration booklet which has been signed by your GP and have paid the required fee. When registering as a Childminder it is important that you provide the required information within 8 weeks to ensure your application is not closed. In the event a closed application you may loose your registration fee.

As part of the process you will receive a registration Visit, during the visit your inspector will be checking to see you are ready to start work straight away and that you have Public Liability Insurance.

Registering with Ofsted – HOW TO APPLY:

STEP ONE: Obtaining all of the supporting documentation

DBS Checks (formally known as a CRB check)

• Access the Ofsted DBS Application portal: If you do not have a DBS Check, you will need to access the Ofsted DBS Application Portal.  You will be asked to supply an ‘Organisation Reference’ which is: OFSTEDP. You can access the portal Here. When completing the application Please leave the password section blank.
• Who needs to complete the DBS? Everybody over the age of 16 who lives or works on the premises will require a DBS. Each DBS will cost at least £52 per DBS check. For more info on applying for and costs click here for FAQ’s click here.
• Receiving the DBS Disclosure notice: Once the check is complete you will receive a DBS Disclosure Notice in the post, this will have a ‘Disclosure Number’ on it that you will need for your online application to Ofsted.

Health Declaration

• When registering as a Childminder you must complete a Health Declaration Form, your GP will need to complete the second half of the form and may charge an admin fee for completing this form. You will need to request that your GP returns the completed document to you to send to Ofsted. Click here to download and print a copy of the Health Declaration form.

References

• Ofsted require that you have 3 references: 1st current or most recent employer (if applicable), 2nd & 3rd are character references which can be friends but not family. Prior to submitting an application you need to inform them that Ofsted may contact them. (You can choose that Ofsted do not contact your current employer).
• Entering reference details on the Ofsted application form: When completing the online application there is a section about referees, you will need to enter their contact details. Alternatively you can submit a copy of a reference for the character references.

STEP TWO: Start your online application with Ofsted

When you have your DBS Disclosure Notice, your Health Declaration fully completed and you have informed your referees you can start your online application with Ofsted. When registering with Ofsted you will need to:

• Choose which register to apply for: You will need to choose to either create an application for the Early Years Register (caring for children from 0-19 years) or for the Childcare Register (caring for children from 5-8 years). You have 8 weeks from submitting your online application to provide all of supporting evidence (DBS, Health Declaration and full details of relevant training courses you have completed).
• Paying the registration fee: The registration fee costs £35 for Early Years Register applications, £103 for Childcare register applications. There is a payment section within the Ofsted Online website. Ofsted will close an application if they haven’t received all of the supporting evidence or payment within the 8 week timeframe.
• Creating a Government Gateway account: To create a Government Gateway account on the Ofsted Online website, click here to access.

STEP THREE: Ofsted Registration Visit

When all of your supporting evidence is with Ofsted they will contact you to book the visit. This is a suitability visit with an inspector rather than an inspection, to ensure that you and your home will be suitable to provide childcare.

The inspector uses the visit to:

• Check your identity, premises and equipment
• Consider your suitability as a Childminder
• Your ability to deliver all of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage
• Assess how you will support children to make good progress with their learning and development
• Consider how you will meet safeguarding and welfare requirements.

The visit to will consist of:

• An interview to check you will be able to deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage
• Checking your premises to see if they are suitable
• Check any policies and procedures, and your risk assessment.

At the end of the visit the inspector will tell you about the next steps, including whether you are ready to be registered. Once we have completed the visit we will tell you as soon as possible if we have decided to register you as a Childminder.

Preparing for your visit:

To help you in preparing for this visit Ofsted have created a document: Preparing for your registration visit – this outlines all the questions you may be asked.

Public Liability Insurance:

Holding Public Liability Insurance is a legal requirement, your inspector may ask to see evidence of a valid PL Insurance certificate during your visit.

Supporting Information:

• Ofsted Early Years Register: preparing for your registration booklet. Click here to download.
• DBS check – FAQ’s around the DBS checks including costs click here.
• Ofsted guides to registering: Early Years Register / Childcare Register
• Records, policies and notification requirements of the Early Years Register
• Requirements for the Childcare Register for Childminders
• Registration and Suitability Handbook, Ofsted guidance document, click here to download.

If you have questions relating to your application or regarding the questions in the ‘Preparing for your registration visit’ booklet please contact your local Childminding Co-ordinator for support.

NEXT STEP:

 Once you have received your registration certificate from Ofsted you are ready to start, click here to view what to do now you are registered.

If you have any queries regarding registering with Ofsted feel free to call the Babyem team on: 020 8986 9008 or email: info@babyem.co.uk