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Care for children under five

All childcare providers caring for children from birth to 31 August after their fifth birthday, must register with Ofsted on the Early Years Register (EYR). All providers on this register must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which sets the standards for early learning, development and care.

• Early Years Foundation Stage

• Free early learning for three and four year olds

Care for children aged five and over

Providers of care for children aged five and over can register with Ofsted on the General Childcare Register (GCR), which is split into two parts:

• the compulsory part - for providers of childcare for children from the end of the EYFS to age seven
• the voluntary part - for providers of care for children aged eight and over

Some providers who look after children between the end of the EYFS and age seven don't have to join the compulsory part of the GCR. Those who don't need to register include nannies or providers offering activity-based childcare like sports, arts and crafts, or dance and drama clubs.

• Ofsted - who doesn't need to register (PDF, 56K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files

What does this mean for my children?

If a childcare provider is registered on the EYR, or on either part of the GCR, then they must meet certain standards. These standards include the suitability of the staff for working with children, and the suitability and safety of the premises.

As part of the registration process, Ofsted carries out a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check to make sure all staff are suitable for working with children. This applies to all providers who are Ofsted registered, regardless of which register they have joined.

Childcare at school

Any childcare for children aged three and over that is provided by a school does not need to be registered on the EYR or the GCR. Instead, the school will be inspected as part of the school inspection system, which is also carried out by Ofsted.

Schools providing childcare have to meet the same standards as registered childcare providers.

• Ofsted and schools

Making a complaint

If you're worried about any aspect of your child's care, you should speak to the provider about it first. If you are still not satisfied, you can contact Ofsted and it will investigate the case further.

You can also make a complaint to Ofsted if you have concerns about a provider that is not registered. The Ofsted website has information about how complaints against both registered and non-registered providers are investigated.

• Complaints about childcare (Ofsted) Opens new window

Useful contacts

• Parents contacts