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Childcare

Childcare

Choosing childcare is a major family decision. The right arrangement depends on the child’s age, personality, additional needs, the parent’s work or study pattern, location, cost and the hours of care required.

Childcare systems, funded entitlements, regulators and terminology differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Always use the official information for the nation where the childcare is provided.

This UK guide covers common childcare types, how to find and compare providers, fees and support, contracts, settling in, safeguarding, allergies, SEND, illness, complaints and backup care.

How to Use This Guide

This page provides practical questions and links to official services. It does not recommend or guarantee an individual provider, replace an inspection report, decide employment status or provide legal, medical, safeguarding or SEND advice.

Childcare registration, funding, complaints and inspection systems differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Use the official route for the nation where the care is provided.

Official UK Childcare Information

Types of Childcare

Common childcare arrangements include:

  • Day nurseries
  • Nursery schools and nursery classes
  • Registered childminders
  • Nannies
  • Au pairs
  • Preschools and playgroups
  • Before-school clubs
  • After-school clubs
  • Holiday clubs
  • Informal care from relatives or friends

Day Nurseries

Day nurseries usually care for groups of children in dedicated premises.

They may offer:

  • Full-day care
  • Part-day sessions
  • Meals and snacks
  • Outdoor play
  • Early learning
  • Care across most working weeks

Ask whether the nursery closes for training days, Christmas, bank holidays or other periods.

Nursery Schools and Nursery Classes

Nursery schools and classes may operate:

  • Within a primary school
  • As a separate maintained nursery
  • During school terms only
  • For specific age groups

Check whether care is available outside the funded session or during school holidays.

Registered Childminders

Childminders usually provide care in a domestic setting and may care for a smaller mixed-age group.

Possible advantages include:

  • A home-based environment
  • Smaller group sizes
  • Sibling care
  • School drop-off and collection
  • Flexible routines
  • Local outings

Use the GOV.UK registered childminder finder or the appropriate official service for your nation.

Nannies

A nanny usually works in the family’s home. The family may have employer, payroll, tax, pension, insurance, holiday, sick-pay and contract responsibilities depending on the arrangement.

Check identity, references, relevant background checks, qualifications and right to work. Employment status depends on the actual working relationship rather than the title used.

Use current GOV.UK employment information and seek payroll, employment or legal advice for the individual arrangement.

Au Pairs

An au pair arrangement is not automatically informal, lawful or suitable for sole childcare simply because accommodation is provided.

Check immigration and right-to-work rules, employment status, hours, pay or pocket money, accommodation, duties, safeguarding, insurance and the level of childcare expected.

Use current GOV.UK immigration and employment information and obtain appropriate advice before making an arrangement.

Wraparound Childcare

Wraparound care may include:

  • Breakfast clubs
  • After-school clubs
  • School-based childcare
  • Childminder collections
  • Activity clubs that include childcare

Confirm whether the service is childcare, an activity club or both, because registration and payment-support rules may differ.

Holiday Childcare

Holiday options may include:

  • School holiday clubs
  • Sports camps
  • Activity centres
  • Childminders
  • Nursery holiday sessions
  • Local council programmes

Book early for popular weeks and check cancellation terms before paying.

Informal Childcare

Relatives and trusted friends may provide regular or occasional care.

Agree:

  • Hours
  • Transport
  • Food
  • Medicine
  • Emergency contacts
  • Household rules
  • Payment or expenses where relevant

Some government childcare support can only be used with approved or registered childcare.

Choosing a Childcare Type

Consider:

  • The child’s age
  • Group size
  • Opening hours
  • Travel time
  • Cost
  • Meals
  • Outdoor space
  • Language
  • Additional-needs support
  • Holiday cover
  • Sibling arrangements

Start Searching Early

Popular childcare providers may have waiting lists.

Start early if care is needed:

  • After parental leave
  • At the beginning of a school term
  • For unusual working hours
  • For siblings together
  • For a child needing specialist support

Check Registration and Inspection

Before agreeing to regular childcare, check:

  • Whether the provider should be registered
  • The current registration status
  • Inspection reports
  • Any conditions on registration
  • The provider’s complaints process

Regulators Differ Across the UK

Use the official register and current inspection information for the nation where the childcare service operates:

  • Ofsted covers many early years and childcare providers in England
  • Care Inspectorate Wales registers and inspects regulated childcare and play services in Wales
  • Care Inspectorate Scotland registers and inspects relevant care services in Scotland
  • Health and Social Care Trust early years teams register and inspect relevant childcare in Northern Ireland, with provider information available through Family Support NI

Registration requirements can depend on the type of care and circumstances. Do not assume that a provider is exempt or registered without checking the official service.

Read More Than the Rating

An inspection rating is useful, but also read:

  • The date of inspection
  • Strengths
  • Areas for improvement
  • Actions required
  • Whether management has changed

Visit the Setting

During a visit, observe:

  • How staff speak to children
  • Whether children appear engaged
  • Cleanliness
  • Security
  • Outdoor access
  • Sleep arrangements
  • Meal areas
  • Noise levels
  • How staff manage distress or conflict

Questions About Staff

Ask:

  • Who will be the child’s key person
  • Staff qualifications
  • Paediatric first-aid arrangements
  • Staff turnover
  • Use of agency staff
  • How background checks are managed
  • How staff are supervised

Questions About Ratios

Ask how the provider:

  • Maintains required staffing levels
  • Covers staff absence
  • Supervises outdoor play
  • Manages outings
  • Supports children needing individual help

Safeguarding

The provider should have clear safeguarding procedures.

Ask:

  • Who the safeguarding lead is
  • How concerns are recorded
  • How allegations against staff are handled
  • How visitors are managed
  • How photographs are used
  • How collection permissions are checked

Collection Security

Confirm:

  • Who may collect the child
  • How identity is checked
  • Whether passwords are used
  • What happens if a different adult arrives
  • How court orders or safeguarding restrictions are recorded

Premises Security

Check:

  • Entry system
  • Gate security
  • Visitor sign-in
  • Window and door safety
  • Access to outdoor areas
  • Emergency evacuation routes

Fees

Ask for a complete written fee schedule covering:

  • Hourly, daily or session rate
  • Deposit
  • Registration fee
  • Meals and snacks
  • Nappies
  • Trips
  • Late collection
  • Bank holidays
  • Provider closure
  • Child absence

Government Childcare Support

Possible support may include:

  • Funded early education or childcare hours
  • Tax-Free Childcare
  • Universal Credit childcare support
  • Support while studying
  • Employer schemes already joined

England’s official starting point is the GOV.UK childcare step-by-step service.

England

In England, GOV.UK provides current information about:

  • Free childcare for eligible children
  • Tax-Free Childcare
  • Universal Credit childcare costs
  • Approved childcare
  • Registered providers

Eligibility, age ranges and reconfirmation requirements can change, so check the live service rather than relying on an old summary.

Wales

The Childcare Offer for Wales can provide eligible families with a combination of nursery education and funded childcare for children aged three and four.

Use the current Welsh Government Childcare Offer guidance.

Scotland

Scotland provides funded early learning and childcare through local councils and partner providers.

Use mygov.scot funded early learning and childcare information and the local council’s application process.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland uses separate childcare and family-support arrangements.

Use Family Support NI to search for childcare and family services.

Check Whether the Provider Is Approved

Some financial support can only be used with approved or registered childcare.

Confirm before signing a contract or making a long-term payment.

Reconfirming Eligibility

Some schemes require parents to reconfirm details regularly.

Set reminders and keep:

  • Application references
  • Eligibility codes
  • Deadlines
  • Provider details
  • Payment records

Deposits and Advance Payments

Before paying, ask:

  • Whether the deposit is refundable
  • When it is returned
  • Whether it becomes the final month’s payment
  • What happens if the child does not start
  • What happens if the provider cannot offer the place

Read the Contract

The childcare agreement should explain:

  • Start date
  • Booked days and hours
  • Fees
  • Payment dates
  • Notice period
  • Absence charges
  • Late-payment charges
  • Late-collection charges
  • Holiday arrangements
  • Termination terms

Do Not Rely on Verbal Promises

Ask for important agreements in writing, including:

  • Flexible hours
  • Funded-hour use
  • Additional-needs support
  • Special dietary arrangements
  • Holiday cover
  • Sibling discounts

Notice Periods

Check how much notice is required if:

  • The family changes provider
  • Work hours change
  • The child starts school
  • The family moves
  • The placement is not working

Illness Policy

Ask for the written illness and exclusion policy.

It may cover:

  • Fever
  • Vomiting and diarrhoea
  • Contagious infections
  • Antibiotics
  • Rashes
  • Head lice
  • Return after illness

Follow NHS and local public-health advice where applicable.

Who Pays During Illness?

The contract should explain whether fees remain due when:

  • The child is ill
  • The household is isolating
  • The provider excludes the child
  • The provider closes
  • Staff shortages prevent care

Medicine

Ask:

  • Which medicines staff can administer
  • Whether written consent is required
  • How medicines are stored
  • How doses are recorded
  • Who is trained to use emergency medicine

Provide medicines in the original labelled packaging and follow the child’s healthcare plan.

Food and Meals

Ask:

  • Which meals and snacks are provided
  • Whether menus are available
  • How food is prepared
  • How allergies are managed
  • Whether families provide food
  • Whether meals cost extra

Food Allergies

A child with a diagnosed allergy should have clear arrangements covering:

  • Allergens
  • Cross-contact
  • Emergency medicine
  • Staff training
  • Food brought from home
  • Trips and celebrations

Follow the child’s professional allergy plan. General childcare information does not replace medical advice.

Dietary Requirements

Discuss:

  • Religious requirements
  • Vegetarian or vegan diets
  • Medical diets
  • Texture-modified food
  • Selective eating
  • Sensory needs

Nappies and Toileting

Ask whether the provider supplies:

  • Nappies
  • Wipes
  • Nappy cream
  • Changing clothes
  • Potty-training support

Potty Training

Agree:

  • Words used for toileting
  • Clothing
  • Prompting routine
  • How accidents are managed
  • How progress is shared

Avoid punishment or shame.

Sleep and Rest

For babies and younger children, ask:

  • Where children sleep
  • How they are supervised
  • How sleep is recorded
  • Whether individual routines are followed
  • How bedding is managed
  • How safer-sleep guidance is applied

Outdoor Play

Ask:

  • How often children go outside
  • What clothing is required
  • How the outdoor area is secured
  • How sun and severe weather are managed
  • How risk assessments are completed

Outings and Transport

Confirm:

  • Where children may go
  • Adult supervision
  • Transport arrangements
  • Child car-seat use
  • Permission process
  • Emergency contacts

Learning and Play

Ask how the setting supports:

  • Communication
  • Physical play
  • Books and stories
  • Imaginative play
  • Creative activities
  • Outdoor learning
  • Individual interests

Screen Use

Ask:

  • Whether screens are used
  • How often
  • For what purpose
  • How content is selected
  • Whether photographs or apps store children’s data

Photographs and Digital Records

Check the provider’s policy on:

  • Photographs
  • Video
  • Learning-journal apps
  • Social media
  • Personal devices
  • Data retention

Consent should be clear and specific.

SEND and Additional Needs

Ask how the provider supports children with:

  • Communication differences
  • Developmental delay
  • Mobility needs
  • Sensory needs
  • Medical conditions
  • Learning disabilities
  • Emotional regulation difficulties

Questions About Additional Support

  • Who coordinates support
  • What training staff have
  • Whether one-to-one support is available
  • How external professionals are involved
  • How progress is recorded
  • Whether extra funding may be available
  • How accessibility is managed

Medical Needs

Where a child has significant medical needs, agree a written plan covering:

  • Medicine
  • Emergency response
  • Feeding
  • Mobility
  • Personal care
  • Trips
  • Staff training
  • Contact with the clinical team

Language and Culture

Ask how the setting supports:

  • Children learning English
  • Home languages
  • Religious practices
  • Cultural food needs
  • Different family structures

Settling-In Sessions

Settling arrangements may include:

  • Short visits with a parent
  • Gradually longer sessions
  • A consistent key person
  • A familiar comfort item
  • Photographs of the setting
  • A visual routine

Share Useful Information

Tell the provider about:

  • The child’s routine
  • Comfort strategies
  • Words used at home
  • Sleep
  • Food
  • Toileting
  • Allergies
  • Additional needs
  • Family changes

Separation Distress

Some children settle quickly, while others need more time.

Agree:

  • A short goodbye routine
  • Who receives the child
  • When the provider will update the parent
  • What happens if distress continues

Daily Communication

Ask how the provider shares:

  • Meals
  • Naps
  • Nappies or toileting
  • Activities
  • Accidents
  • Behaviour concerns
  • Development

Accidents and Incidents

Confirm:

  • How first aid is provided
  • When parents are contacted
  • How incidents are recorded
  • When emergency services are called
  • How serious incidents are reported to regulators

Behaviour Policies

Ask how staff respond to:

  • Biting
  • Hitting
  • Conflict
  • Repeated distress
  • Unsafe behaviour
  • Exclusion from activities

Children should not be humiliated, threatened or physically punished.

Bullying and Peer Problems

Older childcare settings and clubs should have procedures for:

  • Bullying
  • Discrimination
  • Online incidents
  • Repeated exclusion
  • Unsafe peer behaviour

Complaints

If there is a concern:

  1. Raise it promptly with the provider
  2. State what happened and when
  3. Ask for the complaints process
  4. Keep written records
  5. Escalate to management
  6. Contact the regulator or local authority where appropriate

Immediate Safeguarding Concerns

Do not wait for an ordinary complaints process when a child may be at risk of abuse or immediate harm.

Contact the relevant local authority or Health and Social Care Trust safeguarding service, regulator or police. Use the GOV.UK reporting route where applicable.

Call 999 for immediate danger. Do not attempt to investigate an allegation yourself.

Ending a Placement

Before ending childcare, check:

  • Notice period
  • Outstanding fees
  • Deposit return
  • Personal belongings
  • Records to transfer
  • Child’s transition plan

Backup Childcare

Prepare for:

  • Child illness
  • Provider illness
  • Training days
  • Weather closure
  • Transport problems
  • School holidays
  • Work emergencies

Create a Backup List

Possible alternatives include:

  • Another registered provider
  • A trusted relative
  • A co-parent
  • Employer emergency leave
  • A holiday club
  • A local childminder with occasional spaces

Emergency Contact Sheet

Provide the childcare setting with:

  • Parent contacts
  • Alternative trusted adults
  • GP details
  • Allergy information
  • Medical conditions
  • Collection permissions
  • Relevant court or safeguarding information

Childcare Equipment

Ask whether parents need to provide:

  • Nappies
  • Spare clothing
  • Water bottle
  • Lunchbox
  • Wellies
  • Sun hat
  • Sleeping bag or bedding
  • Comfort item

Label Belongings

Label removable items with the child’s name, including:

  • Coats
  • Shoes
  • Clothing
  • Bags
  • Lunch equipment
  • Comfort items

Avoid placing unnecessary personal details on the outside of bags.

Check Products Used by the Setting

Providers are responsible for their equipment, but parents can still raise concerns about:

  • Damaged highchairs
  • Broken toys
  • Unsafe sleep equipment
  • Missing harnesses
  • Recalled products

The official UK Product Safety Alerts, Reports and Recalls database can be used to identify recalled models.

Childcare and Kidora

Kidora is a UK-only marketplace where parents can buy and sell new and preloved baby and children’s items.

Families may find nursery bags, spare clothing, waterproofs, wellies, lunchboxes, books, toys and other childcare essentials. Check the setting’s rules, measurements, product condition, age warnings, hygiene and official recalls.

Sellers pay no selling fees and keep 100% of the item sale price. Buyers pay a mandatory Buyer Protection fee on paid purchases, shown before checkout.

Suitable items can be listed at £0 as FREE rather than being thrown away, helping another family. FREE listings are collection-only and do not include a Buyer Protection fee.

Kidora does not register, inspect, recommend or guarantee childcare providers and does not certify children’s products. Use the official regulator, government service and local authority.

A Childcare-Choosing Checklist

  • Identify the hours and weeks needed
  • Check provider registration
  • Read inspection reports
  • Visit the setting
  • Ask about safeguarding
  • Check fees and extras
  • Confirm funded support
  • Read the full contract
  • Discuss allergies and medical needs
  • Discuss SEND and accessibility
  • Agree settling-in arrangements
  • Create backup childcare plans

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find registered childcare?

Use the relevant government, council or regulator search for England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. GOV.UK provides a registered childminder route and links to local councils.

Are childcare funding rules the same across the UK?

No. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different funded schemes, eligibility rules and application processes.

What should I check before paying a deposit?

Read the written terms covering refundability, start date, cancellation, notice, funded hours and what happens if the provider cannot offer the place.

What should I do if my child has an allergy or medical condition?

Provide the professional healthcare plan, prescribed medicine and clear emergency instructions, and confirm which staff are trained.

What if I have a safeguarding concern?

Use the provider’s safeguarding route and contact the appropriate local authority, regulator or police. Call 999 if a child is in immediate danger.

Can government support pay for any childcare?

Not necessarily. Some support can only be used with approved or registered childcare. Check eligibility before signing a contract.