Evidence Of Registration (Info)

In England, the Office of Standards in Education (OFSTED) issue childcare providers with a certificate of registration showing the date of registration and a registration number.

The Government introduced in England the Childcare Approval Scheme. It is a voluntary approval scheme to raise standards in childcare, where the childcarer does not need to be registered with Ofsted.

This mainly covers childcare in a child's home and childcare for a child aged 8 or over on other domestic premises. To be approved under the scheme, a childcarer would have to be vetted by the police and have minimum training in the same way as childminders.

The voluntary part of the register allows providers of childcare who are not able to register on the compulsory part of the register or who are exempt from compulsory registration to register. This includes providers of

  • Care for one or more children of any age that is provided wholly or mainly in the home of one of the children
     

  • C are for one or more children aged 8 or over, wholly or mainly on premises other than the child’s or children’s own home

Or

  • A ctivity based childcare for children of any age

These providers are not required to register, but they may choose to do so on the voluntary part of the register if they meet the Ofsted requirements.

Registration by Ofsted will allow providers to demonstrate to parents that essential standards have been met. It also allows the childcare to become qualifying childcare for the purpose of working tax credit and employer childcare vouchers.

Following the introduction of the voluntary part of the Ofsted Childcare Register in April 2007, the Childcare Approval Scheme stopped taking applications on 1 October 2007. Any nannies or childcare providers who care for children in domestic premises who are seeking approval or renewal of their approval now need to apply to the Ofsted Childcare Register for registration. Those already approved under the Childcare Approval Scheme will remain approved until their approval expires, one year after it was granted.

If a claimant is using a nanny or a childcarer approved by the Childcare Approval Scheme, they must check that the approval has not expired in the meantime. If they wish to carry on getting the childcare element of Working Tax Credit, their nanny or childcarer, on expiry of their approval, must be registered with Ofsted.

The overriding principle for the award of the WTC childcare element is, in England, the childcare must be provided by one of the following

  • A childcare provider registered by Ofsted
     

  • Out-of-school hours childcare or supervised activity based childcare, provided by a

  • School on the school premises
     

  • Local Authority

Or

  • Childcare provider registered by Ofsted

  • A person approved under the Childcare Approval Scheme providing childcare in the child’s home or in other domestic premises, and their approval is still valid
     

  • A domiciliary worker or nurse from an agency registered under the Domiciliary Care Agencies Regulations 2002 providing childcare in the child’s home
     

  • An approved foster carer but the care must be for a child who is not a foster carer’s foster child
     

  • A childcare provider approved under a Ministry of Defence accreditation scheme abroad

From September 2008 the compulsory part of Ofsted Childcare will begin. This will be for providers of childcare for children aged five to seven unless exempt, for example, providers such as nannies providing care for a child in the child’s home.

In Scotland, the Care Commission issue a certificate to the childcare provider detailing the date of registration and the address from which the provider should operate.

In Wales, Care Standards in Wales issue a certificate to the childcare provider detailing the date of registration. They may give a registration date.

In Northern Ireland, the Health and Social Services Board issue a certificate to the childcare provider detailing the date of registration and the address from which the provider should operate.
 

Crown Servants posted overseas

Armed forces and diplomatic personnel serving abroad are treated as being in the UK

As such, they are entitled to apply for the childcare element of Working Tax Credit provided they meet other qualifying criteria for the childcare element.

Armed forces personnel

Childcare for armed forces families are accredited by 2 organisations

  • British Forces Early Years Service (BFEYS) covering North West Europe

And

  • Soldiers, Sailors, Air Force Association (SSAFA) covering the rest of the world

Registration numbers for BFEYS approved childcare are

  • BFG 02 DC 100 – BFG 02 DC 900 for day care

Or

  • BFG 02 CM 1000 – BFG 02 CM 8000 for childminding

See approved / registered childcare providers (SSAFA) for a list of registration details of childcare providers currently accredited by SSAFA.

Diplomatic Service (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) staff

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) do not currently provide accreditation for childcare providers overseas. Instead, the FCO compensate their staff for the loss of tax credits.

For details of how to treat claims where overseas childcare is not approved, see Crown Servants posted overseas, above.

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