Under one roof

The new Early Years Directorate will ask for parents' views about the service when inspecting childcare providers. Alison Mercer explains what else is in store.

The handover to Ofsted's Early Years Directorate, which is taking over the registration and inspection of childcare for the under-eights from 3 September, has worried some practitioners. But they have been reassured that inspections are unlikely to be that different from before.

It is quite likely that when Ofsted's childcare inspectors come calling, they will already be familiar to the nursery staff. Many of them are former local authority inspection and registration staff who have transferred to the Early Years Directorate. They will check providers' work against new national standards that reflect much of what good nurseries do already, but which have the advantage of being consistent throughout the country. The inspectors will also investigate any complaints and take enforcement action if services do not meet the national standards.

State nursery schools and nursery classes will continue to be inspected under a different inspection system. Nursery provision in independent schools will remain exempt from care inspections under the Children Act.

There are separate standards for full daycare, childminding, out-of-school care, sessional care and creches. All providers have just been sent a copy of the appropriate standards and guidance on their use. The standards cover subjects such as: safety; staff qualifications; activities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities; and the need to work in partnership with parents. Parents will also be able to ask providers to show them their registration certificates and inspection re-ports.

As the standards are national, childminders who move house will not have to re-register as they did formerly if they moved from one local authority to another.

The inspection is likely to last between one and two hours for a childminder, about half a day for sessional providers and a day for full daycare providers. There will be a six-week notice period of inspection. Ofsted can make unannounced inspections where there is an enforcement concern, but is not expected to do so during the autumn round of inspections.

Where providers do not match up to the national standards, they are likely to be given a period of time to meet the requirements, but settings will also be shut down immediately if there are serious concerns about children's welfare.

Ofsted will also continue to inspect providers who are claiming the nursery education grant for three- and four-year-olds, but it plans to integrate this inspection with the care inspection. The care and education inspections will be carried out at the same time, resulting in the production of one report that will meet both the care and education requirements. However, large or complex settings may be dealt with by two inspectors.

The combined inspection will take place every four years, unless providers have continuing weaknesses; the care inspection once a year. Finally, local authorities will continue to provide advice for all childcare providers. With your interest at heart Organisations running helplines: