Bolton Start Well

Under the Childcare Act 2006, the local authority has a statutory duty to provide information for families, including information on early education and childcare. Whilst the local authority is required to publish this information for parents, it is really important for providers across Bolton to regularly share details of the services that they are providing so that the information we publish is accurate. The local authority send out forms for providers to update their service details and also make phone calls to update this information.

In relation to early education and childcare information, as a minimum we must publish the following information termly:

• the registered person’s name;
• the business name, if any, under which the childcare is provided by the registered person;
• the address of the relevant premises, except where the relevant premises are the home of any child to whom childcare is being provided;
• the address of the registered person, if different from the address of the relevant premises;
• any telephone number or email address of the registered person or the relevant premises;
• the date of the registered person’s registration;
• any unique reference number or other identifier used by the Chief Inspector in relation to the registered person;
• the conditions, if any, attached to the registration of the registered person;
• whether the registered person is registered as:
  • a childminder, or 
  • a provider of childcare other than childminding;
• where the registered person is registered as a childminder, whether the relevant premises are either (or a combination of):
  • the registered person’s home,
  • the child’s home, or
  • other domestic premises;
  • information about the most recent inspection by the Chief Inspector of the childcare provided by the registered person, including information as to how to obtain a copy of any report produced by the Chief Inspector in relation to that inspection.

Additional categories of information to be provided on registered childcare providers are:

• the type of childcare provided;
• whether the registered person provides free early years provision;
• the cost of the childcare;
• the time and duration of the childcare provided;
• the time and duration of any free early years provision;
• the number and ages of children to whom childcare is provided; and
• the suitability of the childcare for disabled children.

This same information is used by the local authority to:

• undertake childcare sufficiency assessments;
• advise prospective childcare businesses about suitable areas for setting up new provision.

Under the duty to publish a childcare sufficiency assessment, we are advised to consider:

• the state of the local childcare market, including the demand for specific types of providers in a particular locality and the amount and type of supply that currently exists;
• the state of the local labour market including the sufficiency of the local childcare workforce;
• the quality and capacity of childcare providers and childminders registered with a childminder agency, including their funding, staff, premises, experience and expertise;
• should encourage schools in their area to offer out-of-hours childcare from 8.00am until 6.00pm and in school holidays;
• should encourage existing providers to expand their provision and new providers to enter the local childcare market.
• a specific reference to how they are ensuring there is sufficient childcare to meet the needs of:
  • children with special educational needs and disabilities
  • children from families in receipt of the childcare element of Working Tax Credit or Universal Credit
  • children with parents who work irregular hours
  • children aged two, three and four taking up free places
  • school age children
  • any children needing holiday care
• information about the current and projected demand and supply of childcare for particular age ranges of children, and the affordability, accessibility and quality of provision
• details of how any gaps in childcare provision will be addressed

All of the information requested from providers is to help parents make informed choices, or to enable sufficiency to take place.