If you are eligible for 15 or 30 hours for working parents and receive a code from HMRC, please get this code checked with a childcare provider as soon as possible. This is to ensure your code is valid and you can take up your funded place. You will also need to renew your code every 3 months through HMRC.
To secure an early years childcare place that meets your needs and increases your confidence with your childcare decision, you can do some extra checks.
Check if you can access government childcare schemes with the provider
Ask your childcare provider:
- whether they offer places to families eligible for 15 or 30 hours, and support with other government schemes such as Tax Free Childcare. For more on these schemes see Help with childcare costs
- whether they have a place for your child and if so when you can access it.
Check the quality of care and education being provided
Choosing a high quality early years childcare provider does not only give your child the best care and early education but will give you peace of mind to know that your child is safe and happy.
View the childcare provider's latest inspection report
Registered childcare providers are inspected periodically by Ofsted (Office for standards in children's services, education and skills) who is a government department that inspects and regulates institutions in England providing education, or care for children and young people.
When you are looking for registered childcare, we recommend that you check their latest Ofsted report which is published online to ensure your child receives good quality care and education.
Please note, if you wish to use a childminder who is registered with a childminder agency, it is the childminder agency that is inspected by Ofsted and not the childminder directly. This means, you will need to search for the childminder agency's Ofsted report and not the childminder in this instance.
See Find an Ofsted inspection report on GOV.UK
Ofsted also provide a guide which explains how they regulate early years and childcare registered settings and what parents should do if they have concerns about their provider.
See Information for parents about Ofsted's role in regulating childcare on GOV.UK
Please note, if you wish to access childcare provision in an independent school, you will not be able to view their latest inspection report on the Ofsted website. Instead, you can view this on the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) website. The ISI is the government department that inspects and regulates independent schools.
You may also find a copy of the childcare provider's report:
- on the childcare provider's website
- when searching childcare providers on the H&F Family Information Directory.
Organise visits
Organise visits to get a feel of the childcare environment. You can observe if the children are happy and well and if there are good quality resources.
Speak to other parents
Other parents who have a child attending with the provider can share their experience. The provider may be able to give you parental references whom you can contact. However, it is important to note, what works for another parent may not work for you.
Ask questions
You want to be sure that you choose a childcare provider that meets your needs, so don't be afraid to ask any questions you may have.
You can ask about:
- staff qualifications
- health and safety procedures
- meals and snacks
- how children's behaviours are managed
- how parents are kept informed.
To learn more about the questions to ask see Choosing childcare on the PACEY website.
For more information on choosing childcare that meets your needs see: