Nursery World - Creches escape Ofsted's notice

Concerns have been raised that few people intending to run a mobile or temporary creche in England for five days or less are telling Ofsted, making such registration 'pointless'. Janthea Brigden, co-owner of Nipperbout, a Milton Keynes-based company that runs creches at major conferences and national events including the Ideal Homes Exhibition and Crufts dog show, said, 'From our experience, very few people are aware they have to inform Ofsted of their intention to run a creche for five days or less. And if they don't, how can Ofsted enforce the six-day rule?'

Janthea Brigden, co-owner of Nipperbout, a Milton Keynes-based company that runs creches at major conferences and national events including the Ideal Homes Exhibition and Crufts dog show, said, 'From our experience, very few people are aware they have to inform Ofsted of their intention to run a creche for five days or less. And if they don't, how can Ofsted enforce the six-day rule?'

The six-day rule is that a creche running for six days or more in a year is legally required to register with Ofsted. But people running daycare services for fewer than two hours a day are not required to register, while creches provided on fewer than six days a year are legally exempt from being required to register.

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