The Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) took over responsibility for regulating childcare in England in September 2001 and immediately faced an enormous challenge: to inspect every childminder and daycare provider against new National Standards within 19 months.
The transition to national regulation required our inspectors to visit 100,000 providers, more than a thousand per week, to report on each and issue conditions and actions to ensure they fully met the new standards. At the same time, Ofsted dealt with more than 10,000 complaints about providers and ensured measures were taken to rectify breaches.
As a result, Ofsted's Early Years Directorate has issued the first 'state of the nation' report on childcare in England. Early years: the first national picture outlines Ofsted's findings during the 'transition period'
to March this year. In it, we conclude that the vast majority of childcare providers have reached the level of the national standards. And we have put in place policies and procedures to deal effectively with those who do not.
Our inspectors found that 40 per cent of providers already complied fully with the national standards. In other cases, inspections have led to improvements, particularly regarding health and safety, the physical environment and organisation of settings.
That tens of thousands of providers have improved as a direct result of inspection under the new standards is extremely pleasing. This represents arguably the biggest step forward in the safety and quality of childcare in England.
Other key findings include:
* Registration There were just under 100,000 registered childcare providers - 68,000 childminders and 31,000 daycare providers.
Over the transition period, Ofsted received 37,000 applications for registration. Three-quarters of applicants received their registration visit by the end of the programme.
Ofsted refused registration to 220 applicants who failed to show adequately that they could meet the national standards.
Only 8 per cent of would-be providers withdrew applications during the process.
* Inspection Ofsted issued 8,000 inspection conditions and 39,000 inspection actions to ensure providers met the standard for safety.
* Investigation of complaints We received 10,500 complaints about providers, mostly related to the suitability of care providers and the organisation of the provision.
* Enforcement Ofsted investigated the most serious complaints promptly and, where necessary, took decisive action. During the transition period, we stopped 175 providers from operating. These were the most serious of a total of 345 enforcement actions, about a third of which were to stop unregistered childminding.
In most of the cases where concerns are raised, Ofsted encourages carers to adapt their provision to ensure that it is in line with the standards by meeting new actions and conditions.
Proportionate regulating
In inspections since April, Ofsted has extended the interval for established providers who meet the national standards from one to two years. It has shortened the inspection interval for providers who are newly registered or who still cause concern.
Improving quality
Ofsted has introduced inspection quality gradings to motivate further improvement. Grading carers as 'good', 'satisfactory' or 'unsatisfactory'
offers an incentive to providers, while helping parents to make informed choices.
Working with others
In June, we started publishing daycare inspection reports on the internet to give parents better information on the quality of care and nursery education.
With the National Childminding Association, we are taking soundings on the most appropriate way to publish reports on childminders. An independent agency will analyse the feedback to help find the best solution.
Ofsted has also launched a scheme making it easier for parents to request details of complaints about childcare providers. Currently, Ofsted is legally unable to disclose such details without the consent of the provider. Through the scheme, we are doing all we can to make such information available under the existing law.
* See News, page 4
