Summary of changes
Updated 1 November 2024
Applies to England
漏 Crown copyright 2024
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This publication is available at /government/publications/early-years-and-childcare-ofsteds-enforcement-policy/summary-of-changes
November 2024
The following amendments have been made to the guidance:
- updated to include a new childcare provider type, 鈥榗hildminders without domestic premises鈥�, following changes introduced by the Department for Education鈥檚 EYFS framework
- under 鈥楧uring the regulatory activity or inspection鈥�, we clarified that we need consent to enter a domestic premises if it is not the home of the person providing care
- under 鈥楶roviders who divide their time between domestic and non-domestic premises鈥�, we updated the amount of time a provider can provide childcare on non-domestic premises
- explained our approach to suspending providers鈥� premises for childminders and childminders without domestic premises
- clarified that that a provider鈥檚 registration can be cancelled if they are a registered childminder who has not provided childminding for more than 3 years
- added requirements to tell Ofsted about changes to persons looking after children on non-domestic premises
- explained that childminding on non-domestic premises without a registration (where one is required) is an automatic offence
- clarified that agencies can request adaptations to the inspection process due to a protected characteristic, or any reasonable adjustments due to a disability
October 2024
Updated to include how we manage suspected unregistered childminder agencies.
April 2024
Clarification on the opportunities for providers to discuss and/or provide information on potential equalities duties, including reasonable adjustments for individuals.
March 2024
Updated wording around Ofsted鈥檚 code of conduct to clarify expectations of inspectors. Provided clarification on Ofsted鈥檚 role in strategy meetings and outlined how a provider can raise concerns or issues about a regulatory event or outcome.
November 2023
Updated following new regulations which mean any childcare provider registered with a childminder agency at the time of its closure will automatically be registered with Ofsted.
June 2022
鈥楨nforcement notice (childminding only)鈥� section: clarified the enforcement notice legislation and what happens if a person applies to register as a childminder with Ofsted or a childminder agency after receiving an enforcement notice.
March 2022
Reviewed throughout and published in HTML for accessibility. Some information about our internal procedures has been moved to internal-only guidance.
New sections added: 鈥楥CTV鈥�, 鈥楥hildminder agencies鈥�, 鈥楧ata protection鈥� and a new Annex B listing criminal offences.
Sections updated
鈥楻efusing a registration鈥� section: clarified the process if a provider resigns before we issue a NOI to refuse a registration.
鈥楢pplying to waive disqualification鈥�: clarified that we consider a waiver application before, and separately from, any application to register.
鈥楬ow we act on information鈥�: explained how we may share information about registered providers and other individuals with other agencies.
鈥楴otifications to Ofsted鈥� 鈥� this is now in Annex A and we have added details of how to notify us in each scenario.
鈥極fsted鈥檚 role at local authority strategy meetings鈥�: clarified our role in strategy meetings.
鈥楻egulatory activity and inspections鈥�: listed the ways we may respond to concerns.
鈥楳aking the decision to cancel a provider鈥檚 registration (Early Years Register)鈥�: clarified that if we have judged a provider as inadequate at 2 consecutive inspections and there is no improvement, we would usually take steps to cancel their registration.
鈥榃elfare requirements notices鈥�: clarified how we check compliance with these.
鈥楻aising an action鈥�: clarified that providers that are set actions must notify us within the specified timescale about the action that they have taken.
鈥楽uspending a registration鈥�: explained how we serve the notice and what information providers should share with us.
鈥榁oluntary removal/resignation鈥�: explained that if a provider resigns when we have concerns about them, we will record our concerns and may consider them further if the applicant applies to register in the future.
The 鈥楶rosecution鈥� section has been reviewed and updated throughout.
鈥楻eferrals to the DBS鈥�: Added more information about the 鈥榟arm test鈥� and when we can refer individuals to the DBS.