Do I need to register to be a childminder?

What registration actually requires

Step-by-step

1

Confirm you actually need to register

In England, registration is required if you care for children under eight, for reward, for more than two hours a day, on domestic premises that aren't the child's own home. That covers nearly all childminding. Nannies working in the child's own home are in a different position, and there are exemptions for very short sessions and for care by close relatives. Check your specific arrangement against the current criteria rather than assuming.

2

Choose between Ofsted and a childminder agency

There are two routes. Register directly with Ofsted, which inspects you and publishes your report — the traditional route, and the one most parents recognise. Or register with an Ofsted-registered childminder agency, which handles registration, support and quality assurance for a fee, and is inspected itself rather than inspecting you individually. Agencies suit people who want support and less administrative burden; direct registration gives you a published Ofsted grade, which many parents look for.

3

Start the DBS checks early — they set your timeline

You need an enhanced DBS check, and so does every person aged 16 or over living or regularly working in your home. This is the step that most often delays registration, because it depends on other people completing paperwork and on processing times outside your control. Start it first. Also register for the DBS Update Service when you apply — it makes renewals far simpler and is inexpensive.

4

Complete first aid and safeguarding training

A full paediatric first aid course, typically twelve hours over two days, is required and must be renewed every three years. Safeguarding training approved by your local authority or agency is also needed. Book both early: courses fill up, and you can't complete registration without the certificates. Budget for both plus renewal — first aid courses commonly run £60–£100 and safeguarding £50–£80.

5

Prepare your home and prepare for the visit

Ofsted will visit to check suitability. Practically that means safe storage of medicines and chemicals, stair gates and window restrictors where needed, a secure garden, working smoke alarms, a fire evacuation plan you can describe, and safe sleeping arrangements. Pets need risk-assessing rather than removing. The visit also explores how you'll deliver the EYFS, so be ready to talk about learning through play, not just safety latches.

6

Get your EYFS and paperwork in place from day one

The Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework applies from your first day of operating, not after a settling-in period. You'll need the required policies — safeguarding, complaints, behaviour, sickness, accidents — plus attendance records, permission forms, contracts and a way of tracking each child's development. Many childminders buy a ready-made pack rather than writing all of it from scratch, which is a reasonable use of money.

7

Sort insurance, tax and your business setup

Public liability insurance is required in practice and usually comes bundled with membership of a childminding association, along with legal advice lines and template documents. Register as self-employed with HMRC. Tell your home insurer and, if you rent, your landlord — and check your mortgage or tenancy doesn't prohibit business use. Childminders can claim specific expense allowances, so getting the tax setup right early is worth it.

8

Plan for three to six months, and build demand meanwhile

Registration commonly takes around twelve weeks but frequently runs to six months depending on DBS timing, course availability and inspection scheduling. Use that window: get your website up, list with your council's family information service, and start talking to local parents. Childminders who register with a waiting list already forming are in a far better position than those who start marketing on day one.

Common questions