Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills.  It inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people, and services providing education and skills for learners of all ages.  Ofsted visits childcare providers who are registered with it to ensure that the education and safety of children is being well managed.  Outcomes of these inspections and the grades allocated to a childcare provider can be viewed on the Ofsted website.

Trying to find childcare can be a daunting experience for a parent.  After all, what does make a good childcare provider? How do you know your child will be safe and happy?  To help answer these and many other questions you might have, the Family and Childcare Trust have created a step-by-step guide on finding childcare. 

The cost may also be a factor when considering childcare.  Depending on your child’s age and your financial circumstances, there may be support available.  View our list of funding options to see if you are eligible.

If you need additional help finding childcare please find out more about our brokerage and support service to see what help is available. 

Do you know a ‘nursery’ from a ‘pre-school’?  Ever heard of a ‘breakfast club’? The type of childcare is another important factor when trying to choose a setting, as with each one you have to consider the learning environment, the age range it works with and the opening hours. 

To help you decide the best fit for you, have a look at the Pacey websites, or see our childcare guide here

If you have a child with SEND (special educational need or disability), you may be interested in looking at childcare listings that have been given the orange ‘LO flash'. This symbol represents the Local Offer – a publication of all the provision available to young people (0-25) who have SEN or a disability. If you see it next to a provider in our listings, it means that they have answered specific questions relating to inclusion within their setting and can facilitate children with SEND.

All childcare providers should be inclusive, therefore, try speaking to some of them about your child’s needs to see how they can best meet them. From these discussions, you can determine which setting will be most suitable.

If you are looking for useful information to help you in your role as a childcare provider please visit Cornwall | Early Years.  (You will need to create an account and log in)

The Childcare Act 2006 says childcare is ‘any form of care for a child including education or any other supervised activity’.

Not all child carers need to be registered with Ofsted, but if they aren't registered, you cannot use funded hours with them.

Most childcare providers caring for children under eight years old must register with Ofsted unless the law says they do not need to.

These are some of the childcare providers that don't have to register:

• babysitters
• nannies and au pairs
• home educators and home tutors
• blood relatives caring for a child or children they are related to
• recreational and sporting activity providers
• some under 8s crèches, of 4 hours or under with a parent present
• when providing childcare for less than 2 hours per day
• when providing childcare for a friend for up to 3 hours a day for reward

More information regarding unregistered childcare can be found here. 

Family Information Services from our neighbours: 

• Plymouth
• Devon
• Torbay
• Somerset

Please click here, to view the complaints procedure for childcare settings. 

If you have a query or complaint regarding being mischarged by a childcare provider, please contact our Nursery Funding team and they can help look into this further:  nurseryfunding@cornwall.gov.uk.