HOW TO HIRE · CHILDCARE & FAMILY · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a childminder in the UK The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A childminder paid to look after your child in their own home must be registered, and each nation has its own regulator — Ofsted, Care Inspectorate Wales, the Care Inspectorate or the local Health and Social Care Trust. This guide shows how to check that in a minute, the questions to ask on a settling-in visit, what the contract should say and which funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare can pay towards the place.
A paid childminder must be registered — Ofsted, CIW, the Care Inspectorate or the local Trust, depending on the nation. Here is how to check, what to ask, and what the contract should say.
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THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a childminder in five steps
1Check the registration for your nationOfsted URN in England; CIW in Wales; the Care Inspectorate in Scotland; the local Trust in Northern Ireland. No registration, no place.
2Read the latest inspection reportIt tells you more about the childminder's setting than any advert. Ask about anything it flagged.
3Visit while children are thereSee the space, the routine, where children sleep and eat, and how the childminder talks to them.
4Get the contract in writingHours, fees, holidays, sickness, notice, what happens on bank holidays and which meals and nappies are included.
5Ask about funded hours and Tax-Free ChildcareA registered childminder can usually take them; ask before you sign how they show on the invoice.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
Ofsted registration (England)
In England a childminder paid to look after children under 8 for more than two hours a day, in a home that is not the child's, must be registered — payment in kind counts. Ofsted keeps the Early Years Register for children from birth to the end of the August after they turn five, and the Childcare Register for older children up to 8; registering through a childminder agency is the alternative. Minding without registration when it is required can lead to a fine.
Ask the childminder for their Ofsted URN and enter it in Ofsted's 'check if childcare is registered' service; names and addresses of some childminders are not published, so the URN is the reliable route. reports.ofsted.gov.uk →
Care Inspectorate Wales, Care Inspectorate or Trust registration
Wales: a childminder caring for under-12s for reward on domestic premises for two hours or more a day must register with Care Inspectorate Wales, as Wales's 2010 children and families Measure requires. Scotland: paid minding of children aged 16 or under for more than two hours a day must be registered with the Care Inspectorate, and the certificate must be on display; minding or advertising without registration can bring a £5,000 fine, prison or both. Northern Ireland: a childminder minding unrelated children for more than two hours a day registers with the Health and Social Care Trust for the area, which inspects every year.
Wales: search CIW's service directory. Scotland: look for the certificate and search the Care Inspectorate's find-care directory. Northern Ireland: search the public register on Family Support NI and ask for the last Trust inspection report. careinspectorate.scot →
Criminal record checks — DBS, PVG or AccessNI
England: a home-based childminder needs an enhanced DBS check with barred lists, and so does every person aged 16 or over who lives or works in the home. Wales: an enhanced DBS certificate for the childminder, any assistant and household members aged 16 or over. Scotland: PVG scheme membership, with checks on others living or working in the home. Northern Ireland: the Trust carries out police checks on everyone over 10 living in the home.
You cannot apply for a check on a childminder yourself; registration is what proves it was done. Ask who else lives in the home and whether they were checked. gov.uk →
First aid and insurance
Ofsted asks a home-based childminder for first aid training suited to the ages of the children, and nidirect tells parents in Northern Ireland to confirm a childminder's insurance before using them. Public liability insurance is the cover that matters if a child is hurt in their care.
Ask to see the paediatric first aid certificate and the insurance schedule, and check both are in date.
VAT
Childminding is exempt from VAT when the childminder is registered with Ofsted, CIW, the Care Inspectorate or the Health and Social Care Trust, or the care comes from a charity or a public body; unregistered childcare is standard-rated. In any case, a childminder whose turnover is under £90,000 is not VAT-registered and charges no VAT.
Check the childminder's registration with the regulator for your nation; a registered childminder's invoice should show no VAT. gov.uk →
ASK THESE
“What is your registration number, and can I read your last inspection report?”
A good answer: An Ofsted URN in England, or the CIW, Care Inspectorate or Trust registration in the other nations — offered without fuss, with the report to hand.
“Who else lives in the house or works here, and have they been checked?”
A good answer: Names and roles, and confirmation that adults in the home have had the checks the childminder's registration requires.
“How many children do you mind, and of what ages, on the days mine would come?”
A good answer: A clear picture of the group on your days, within the numbers their registration allows.
“What does a typical day look like for a child of my child's age?”
A good answer: A routine with meals, naps, play, outings and quiet time — and how the childminder follows the early years framework of your nation.
“What happens if you are ill or on holiday?”
A good answer: Notice of holidays in advance, whether you pay for those days, and any backup arrangement — many childminders have none, so ask.
“Do you take funded hours or Tax-Free Childcare, and what is charged on top?”
A good answer: Which schemes the childminder is signed up to, and any charges for meals, nappies or outings written into the contract.
“How do you handle allergies, medicines and accidents?”
A good answer: Written consent for medicines, an accident record you sign, and a paediatric first aid certificate in date.
“What notice do you need, and what notice do you give?”
A good answer: A notice period for both sides in the childminder's contract, usually a few weeks.
Booking by the hour
The rate per hour or per session, the hours booked, and whether you pay them in the childminder's own holidays
The minimum booking — fixed days or sessions — and whether an early collection reduces the bill
Meals, snacks, nappies and outings — included or charged on top
How funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare payments appear on the invoice
Late-collection charges, bank holidays and the notice period, both ways
Walk away if
No URN, or one the Ofsted check service does not recognise (or no CIW, Care Inspectorate or Trust registration in the other nations)
They say they do not need to register although they are paid to mind your child for more than two hours a day
No written contract, or one silent on holidays, sickness and notice
They will not let you see where the children sleep and play
More children than their registration allows on your days
No accident or medicine records, or no first aid certificate
LOW
£5
TYPICAL
£6
HIGH
£9
What a childminder costs: £5–£9 per hour
Childminders charge by the hour or by the session, for a set pattern of days; funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare reduce what you pay but extras may still be charged. Childminder price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Childminders near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
1Enquiry and visitYou see the setting with children present, ask your questions and read the inspection report.
2Contract and paperworkA written contract, your child's details, consent forms for outings, photos and medicines, and emergency contacts.
3Settling inShort visits over a week or two, building up to full days, with you nearby the first time.
4The daily routineDrop-off, play and learning, meals, naps, outings and a handover at collection telling you how the day went.
5Ongoing reviewsRegular conversations about progress, the childminder's notes on what your child is learning, and a yearly look at hours and fees.
URN
Unique reference number — the number Ofsted gives a registered childminder in England.
Early Years Register
Ofsted's register for children from birth to the end of the August after they turn five.
Childcare Register
Ofsted's register for older children up to 8 (compulsory part) and for providers who register voluntarily.
Childminder agency
A body in England that registers and supports childminders instead of Ofsted.
Funded hours
Free childcare hours paid for by the government, which differ by nation.
Retainer
A fee to hold a place before your child starts.
AFTER
When the job is done
Keep the contract and invoicesWith the URN or registration number on them — you need them for Tax-Free Childcare and funded hours, and if there is a dispute about fees.
Check the settling-inAfter the first weeks, ask for the childminder's notes on how your child is getting on, and say what you would like done differently.
Review the place each yearHours, fees and the funded hours your child is entitled to change; agree any change in writing.
Leave the reviewOnly a booked childminder can be reviewed on Locufy, so your words carry weight. If the childminder got something wrong, use the make-it-right step first.
MONEY BACK
Grants that may apply
Help with a registered childminder's fees, by nation. Each scheme needs the childminder to be registered and, for Tax-Free Childcare, signed up to it.
HMRC · GRANTVerified 16 Oct 2026
Tax-Free Childcare
up to £500 every 3 months per child (£2,000 a year); up to £1,000 every 3 months (£4,000 a year) for a disabled childthe government adds £2 for every £8 paid into the childcare account
Who: working parents of children aged 11 or under, or 16 or under if disabled
usually working or about to start work
the provider must be approved childcare and signed up to the scheme
reconfirm eligibility every 3 months
in Northern Ireland nidirect adds: each parent expects to earn at least the minimum wage for 16 hours a week, neither earns £100,000 or more, and it cannot be combined with Universal Credit childcare or childcare vouchers
up to 30 hours a week of combined nursery education and childcareat least 10 hours nursery education and up to 20 hours childcare, for up to 48 weeks a year; unused hours do not carry over
Who: parents of 3 and 4 year olds living in Wales
each parent's gross income is £100,000 a year or less
each parent earns on average the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum or Living Wage, is on statutory leave, or is on a further or higher education course of at least 10 weeks
eligible settings are registered childminders, playgroups, day care and Cylch Meithrin; a nanny cannot be paid through the Offer
Schemes change. The amounts above were checked on the dates shown; the official page is the one that counts.
IF IT GOES WRONG
STEP 1Give the childminder the chance to fix itSend a dated message describing the fault and the fix. Section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 sets the standard — reasonable care and skill — for any childminder trading for money; falling short of it over the childcare lets you claim a free repeat or a reduction under section 54.
STEP 2Try the make-it-right stepUnder four stars for a booked childminder, Locufy asks whether to pass it to them first; we follow it through before the review goes up.
STEP 3Ofsted, the Care Inspectorate and the TrustsRegistered childcare must have a complaints process, so use the childminder's first. If that does not settle it in England, complain to Ofsted about a registered childminder (or to the agency, if they registered through one); in Scotland the Care Inspectorate takes complaints about registered services; in Wales and Northern Ireland, contact CIW or the Trust that registered them. If a child is at risk, call the council or 101, and 999 in an emergency.
STEP 4Small claims as the last stepWhere the childminder still refuses, the small claims routes run to £10,000 in England and Wales, £5,000 in Scotland under simple procedure and £5,000 in Northern Ireland, with no solicitor needed.
Hiring a childminder: questions people ask
Yes, when paid to look after children for more than two hours a day: with Ofsted in England (under-8s), Care Inspectorate Wales (under-12s), the Care Inspectorate in Scotland (16 or under) or the local Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland (unrelated children).
In England, ask for the Ofsted URN and enter it in Ofsted's 'check if childcare is registered' service. In Wales search CIW's directory; in Scotland look for the displayed certificate and search the Care Inspectorate; in Northern Ireland ask the Trust.
Yes in England and Wales, as part of registration — an enhanced check, and checks on adults in the home. Scotland uses PVG membership and Northern Ireland the Trust's police checks. You cannot apply for one yourself; registration shows it was done.
£5 to £9 an hour, typically around £6. Meals, nappies and funded hours change what you actually pay. The childminder price guide covers the detail; search your town above, then agree the hourly rate, the minimum hours and what the day includes before the first session.
Yes, if the childminder is registered and signed up to the scheme. Funded hours depend on your nation — 30 hours for working parents in England from 9 months, the Childcare Offer in Wales for 3 and 4 year olds, and funded early learning and childcare in Scotland.
Raise it with them in writing — registered childminders must have a complaints process, and the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires reasonable care and skill. If that fails, the regulator for your nation can look at it.
Checked October 2026 · https://locufy.com/uk/how-to-hire/childminder
The five steps
Check the registration for your nation. Ofsted URN in England; CIW in Wales; the Care Inspectorate in Scotland; the local Trust in Northern Ireland. No registration, no place.
Read the latest inspection report. It tells you more about the childminder's setting than any advert. Ask about anything it flagged.
Visit while children are there. See the space, the routine, where children sleep and eat, and how the childminder talks to them.
Get the contract in writing. Hours, fees, holidays, sickness, notice, what happens on bank holidays and which meals and nappies are included.
Ask about funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare. A registered childminder can usually take them; ask before you sign how they show on the invoice.
Check before you book
Ofsted registration (England): Ask the childminder for their Ofsted URN and enter it in Ofsted's 'check if childcare is registered' service; names and addresses of some childminders are not published, so the URN is the reliable route.
Care Inspectorate Wales, Care Inspectorate or Trust registration: Wales: search CIW's service directory. Scotland: look for the certificate and search the Care Inspectorate's find-care directory. Northern Ireland: search the public register on Family Support NI and ask for the last Trust inspection report.
Criminal record checks — DBS, PVG or AccessNI: You cannot apply for a check on a childminder yourself; registration is what proves it was done. Ask who else lives in the home and whether they were checked.
First aid and insurance: Ask to see the paediatric first aid certificate and the insurance schedule, and check both are in date.
VAT: Check the childminder's registration with the regulator for your nation; a registered childminder's invoice should show no VAT.
Questions to ask
“What is your registration number, and can I read your last inspection report?” An Ofsted URN in England, or the CIW, Care Inspectorate or Trust registration in the other nations — offered without fuss, with the report to hand.
“Who else lives in the house or works here, and have they been checked?” Names and roles, and confirmation that adults in the home have had the checks the childminder's registration requires.
“How many children do you mind, and of what ages, on the days mine would come?” A clear picture of the group on your days, within the numbers their registration allows.
“What does a typical day look like for a child of my child's age?” A routine with meals, naps, play, outings and quiet time — and how the childminder follows the early years framework of your nation.
“What happens if you are ill or on holiday?” Notice of holidays in advance, whether you pay for those days, and any backup arrangement — many childminders have none, so ask.
“Do you take funded hours or Tax-Free Childcare, and what is charged on top?” Which schemes the childminder is signed up to, and any charges for meals, nappies or outings written into the contract.
“How do you handle allergies, medicines and accidents?” Written consent for medicines, an accident record you sign, and a paediatric first aid certificate in date.
“What notice do you need, and what notice do you give?” A notice period for both sides in the childminder's contract, usually a few weeks.
