The law is clear - no person shall act as a childminder unless they are registered by the chief inspector. Again defined in law, to 'act as childminder' means looking after one or more children under the age of eight years on domestic premises for reward. It is therefore unlawful to act as a childminder in England without being registered with Ofsted.
The enforcement notice is a mechanism by which the chief inspector can let unregistered childminders know of the legal requirement to register. It also sets out the action Ofsted can take against an unregistered childminder if they continue to act unlawfully.
Ofsted will continue to follow the process set out in the Children Act.
Anyone who wishes to act as a childminder must become registered so parents can be assured that appropriate checks have been carried out.
Doreen Melville-Riddell. Senior press officer, Office for Standards in Education
