Information for parents
Read this page in Welsh/Cymraeg
Are you looking for childcare?
Choosing someone to look after your child when you return to
work or training is one of the most important decisions you can
make. Nearly 500,000 children are cared for by childminders and
nannies, making home-based childcare the second most popular form
of formal childcare in England and Wales.
Registered childminders work in their own homes, providing
childcare for up to six children at any one time aged from birth to
8 years old. Many children stay with the same childminder for years
– some well into secondary school.
Registered childminders are usually self-employed and are
registered and inspected by Ofsted in England or the Care and
Social Services Inspectorate Wales.
NCMA has produced a film and leaflet to illustrate
the benefits of choosing home-based childcare using a registered
childminder. You can watch the film or download the leaflet
here.
Nannies are generally employed by parents and provide childcare
in the family’s own home. Nannies don’t have to be registered in
the same way as childminders, but can become "approved" by joining
Ofsted's Voluntary Childcare Register (external link) in
England or the Childcare Approval
Scheme (external link) in Wales.
You can search for your nearest
childminder using the National Parent Know How
Directory. This is an
online directory offering parents and those working with them the
ability to search for information about childcare and families
services in both their local community and nationally.
Both websites will provide the same information but
the way it is
presented is
different.