There are lots of different good quality childcare and early education arrangements on offer. You can mix and match to suit your daily schedule, working hours, study or training. Before you make your final decision, look at several local options to get an idea of what's available.
Find registered childcare near you
Registered childcare
Registered providers can offer the early years funded entitlements. They may also offer Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit for Childcare to support with costs. Visit our help with childcare costs pages for more information.
Childminders care for other people's children in their own home. They offer flexible, personal care and early education in a home setting.
Childminders will be registered with Ofsted, or a
They can care for up to 6 children under the age of eight years old. If working in partnership with another childminder, or with an assistant they can look after more children. They can also care for children over 8 but must show Ofsted they can meet everyone’s needs.
Day nurseries provide care and early education for children aged up to five. Nurseries which open for two hours, or more, a day must be registered with Ofsted.
Most day nurseries:
- open between 8am and 6pm (although some offer longer hours, opening at 7am and closing at 7pm)
- offer a range of options including full time, part time, morning and afternoon sessions
School based nurseries and classes are attached to infant and primary schools in ßÙßÇÂþ».
Places are available during school hours, full or part-time. Some may offer hours outside of school time.
If you are successful in getting a nursery school place for your child, this does not guarantee a place in any school attached to it.
Nursery units of independent schools are usually owned and run by private or voluntary organisations as part of an independent school.
Schools are registered with Ofsted, or the .
There are four maintained nursery schools in ßÙßÇÂþ» – they are funded and controlled by the local authority, just like any other local authority school.
They have a head teacher and employ other qualified teachers.
They are inspected by Ofsted in the same way as primary and secondary schools.
Pre-schools provide early education to under-fives. Groups which are open for two hours or more a day must be registered with Ofsted.
Most pre-schools are open throughout the school year for morning, afternoon or full day sessions. They are generally open from 9am to 3pm.
This is childcare offered before and after the school day, or during school holidays. They are often known as before/breakfast clubs, after school clubs and holiday playschemes.
Each club is different, but most will take children from the age of 4 to 12 years. It will usually depend on the age of the school they are based in or near to.
They could be run directly by the school, a private company or a voluntary organisation and may be run on a school site or somewhere else.
Provision will usually be registered with Ofsted, but there are some exemptions.
Non-registered childcare
The following do not have to register but they can choose to go on the Ofsted Childcare Register. If they are on the voluntary register, you may be able to use government support for help with childcare costs.
An au pair is a person working for and living as part of a host family. They often look after the children of their host family as well as undertake other related duties such as light housework.
As au pairs are usually not trained childcarers they must not have sole charge of children under the age of two for long periods. Because of this they are generally not considered as being suitable to look after pre school aged children while you're at work. However, they can be a good option for providing after school childcare.
For more information visit the website.
Babysitters provide occasional help with childcare for families. They can be young people from the local area, sometimes still studying in sixth form or college. Although the law does not state at what age young people can look after children, if you employ a babysitter who is under 16 years of age, you are legally responsible for their safety, as well as your child's. If your child is thought to be at risk, because they are not being looked after properly, you could be prosecuted.
Home child carers can look after children from two families at the same time but they must care for them in the home of one of the children. If a home child carer is shared by more than two families then this is considered childminding and they will need to register with Ofsted.
Nannies provide childcare in your own home and can look after children of any age. They often work flexible hours so can be a good option if you work shifts or unsociable hours. Your child will also have the advantage of being cared for in familiar surroundings with access to their own toys, books and games.
A creche provides occasional care for children under eight years of age. They are not legally required to register with Ofsted but can choose to go on the Ofsted voluntary childcare register.
Some creches are in permanent premises such as sports facilities or shopping centres and may only be available to parents that are using the facility. The length of time children can spend in the creche will be restricted and may be limited to two hours per day.
Other creches run on a temporary basis and are set up to care for children while their parents are involved in time limited activities such as a conference or exhibition.
This type of care involves sessions where children take part in structured activities. It usually looks like small group activities led by an instructor or facilitator, giving children the chance to learn new skills, be creative, and have fun in a safe environment.