Guidance
Inspecting and regulating registered childcare providers: information for parents
How Ofsted inspects and regulates childcare and what parents should do if they have concerns about their provider.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
This guide includes information about:
- how Ofsted inspects and regulates childcare
- what information is available for parents and carers when choosing childcare, such as Ofsted inspection reports
- how to raise concerns about a childcare provider
Updates to this page
Published 15 January 2013
Last updated -
Updated to reflect changes to the inspection timescale from April 2026 for providers registered on the Early Years Register.
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Updated to reflect inspection processes under the renewed inspection framework.
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Updated the process we will follow if we receive an anonymous complaint about a provider.
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Updated to reflect how we handle anonymous complaints.
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Updated the 'Inspections' section to reflect the 6-year inspection window and added links to published guidance.
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Updated links and dates
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'What will you do with the information?' section updated for first paragraph,
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First published.