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Information and public services for the Island of Jersey

L'înformâtion et les sèrvices publyis pouor I'Île dé Jèrri

How to become a registered childcare provider

​​Who needs to register

You must register as a childcare provider if you’re an individual or organisation and you:

  • care for children aged from birth to 12 years old without the parent or carer being present
  • look after children for more than 2 hours in any day or 6 days in any year without parent or carer being present
  • receive a reward for your service, for example get paid or receive gift

You don’t need to be registered if:

  • you don’t receive a reward for your service
  • you’re caring for children for less than 2 hours in any day, even if you receive a reward
  • the children being cared for are close relatives, such as grandchildren, even if you receive a reward
  • you’re a nanny or an au pair. Find more information on types of childcare providers
  • you’re regulated by an external body which fulfils the regulatory requirements under the Day Care of Children (Jersey) Law, 2002

If you’re registered and looking after the children of close relatives in your own home for a reward, the parents or carers can claim child care tax relief.

Day Care of Children (Jersey) Law, 2002 on Jersey Law

Registering an Early Years or Childhood setting

You need to be registered if you open:

  • an Early Years setting, to care for children from birth to school entry age
  • a Childhood setting, to care for children from 3 to 12 years of age

Registration ensures the care provided to children and your premises meet standards.

The below provides guidance on what you’ll need to do. Each setting is different and you may need to consider other requirements.

Once your registration is complete, you’ll receive your certificate and conditions of registration.

Step 1: contact our team

There are many aspects and requirements to consider before opening a childcare setting.

Contact us in the first instance to discuss the care you want to provide children and your plans.

Call our team on +44 (0) 01534 449387 or email ceys@gov.je.

Step 2: read the statutory requirements

The statutory requirements detail the standards your setting has to meet to be registered, including:

  • ratios
  • staffing requirements
  • information around required policies

Early Years Statutory Requirements

Childhood Statutory Requirements

Step 3: apply to register

Complete the application below to start the registration process with us.

A member of our team will review your application and will let you know if we provisionally agree with your application. We may need to do a site visit.

The registration process depends on many factors, including other departments and organisations. We can’t give you a timescale of when you’ll be registered. You should allow plenty of time to complete your registration.

Apply to register as a childcare provider

Step 4: on site visit

After we receive your application to register, a member of our team will come visit your premises.

This is to make sure your site is suitable. We will tell you if you need to make improvements to meet the statutory requirements.

Step 5: have a fire inspection

Jersey Fire and Rescue Service will need to inspect your building to make sure it meets fire safety regulations.

Complete the application below and send it to them.

Application for an inspection of Day Care Facilities

States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service website

Step 6: register your business

You might need to register your business and the name of your setting.

Start up a business: step by step guide

If there’s a change to your premises and its type of use, you’ll need to contact the Department of the Environment.

Jersey Office of the Information Commissioner (JOIC)

Jersey Financial Service Commission (JFSC)

Step 7: read safer recruitment guidance

Find below some of the responsibilities you have as an employer.

You can find more requirements you must meet in the employing staff: step by step guide.

DBS checks

Everyone working in your setting must have an Enhanced and Barred DBS check before they start working. They must also be on the update service.

This includes volunteers or employees working indirectly with children. Contact us if you would like us to organise this for you.

Health Declaration

All practitioners working with children must complete a health declaration to make sure they are suitable to care for children.

Health Declaration form

Safer recruitment

As an employer you must follow safer recruitment guidance. 

Safer Recruitment Guidance

Other steps to consider

You may also need to consider other aspects depending on what you’ll provide at your setting.

Register as a food premises

You must follow health and safety regulations if you prepare, serve or store food or snacks.

You may need an inspection from the Environment Health Department.

Complete the application form below and submit it to them.

Application form for registration of food premises

Prevention and control of infection, guidelines for Early Years and School Settings

Registering a food business and eat safe inspections - information for businesses

Environmental health​​

Nursery Education Fund (NEF)

All children can receive free nursery hours in the academic year they turn 4.

These are funded by the government and apply to school nurseries or registered Early Years settings.

Your Early Years setting must be registered to be able to offer NEF hours. Once you’re registered, your CEYS registration officer will contacts the NEF team to take the process forward with you.

Registering as a Childminder

As a childminder, you would look after children in your own home.

Childminders look after children in their own family home for a fee. They can care from babies to 12 years old children and can provide full day, all year-round service. A quality and compliance review is carried out by CEYS which includes self-evaluation and consultation with parents.

The Jersey Association of Child Carers (JACC) is an organisation supporting childminders and parents. Childminders who are JACC members can advertise their service and availabilities by way of personal profiles.

The other stages can be completed at other times.

Step 1: Consider your family needs

You should think about your family needs before you apply to become a registered childminder.

Involve them in your decision as they will have to share their home and the presence of other children may affect your family life.

JACC supports applicants and registered childminders. They can give you information and advice on the business aspect of childminding. 

Step 2: Read the statutory requirements

The statutory requirements detail the standards your setting has to meet to be registered.

Childminder Statutory Requirements

Step 3: Contact our team

There are many aspects and requirements to consider before opening a childcare setting in your home.

Contact us in the first instance to discuss the care you want to provide children and your plans.

Call our team on +44 (0) 01534 449387 or email ceys@gov.je.

Step 4: complete a short survey

We’ll send a presentation and short survey to help you make a decision.

We’ll review your survey responses and ask you to apply to register.

Step 5: apply to register

You’ll need to tell us about any medical conditions or disabilities of anyone living with you. This helps us understand your ability to care for children.

The registration process depends on many factors, including departments and organisations. We can’t give you a timescale of when you’ll be registered. You should allow plenty of time to complete your registration.

Apply to register as a childcare provider

After we receive your application, we’ll:

  • if applicable, ask confirmation from your landlord that you’re allowed to childmind on the premises
  • provide documents and carry out all checks. This can include contacting:
    • your Health Visitor, if you have children aged 5 or under 
    • the Children and Families Hub
    • your Parish Connetable
    • ​2 personal references

Step 6: first home visit

You’ll have a home visit at the start of the registration process to make sure your home is suitable for childminding.

During the first visit, we’ll document and discuss changes you need to make for your home to meet the registration standards.

Step 7: request DBS checks

If your home is suitable, applicant childminders and any household members aged 16 or over will have to hold an Enhanced and Barred DBS check.

You’ll also all have to join the update service to make sure your DBS certificates are current and up to date.

We’ll organise this for you as our team can carry out your DBS checks.

Step 8: carry out your risk assessment

Before the final home visit, you’ll need to assess the suitability of your home.

This is to help you identify safeguarding risks and make your home and environment as safe as possible.

Initial risk assessment for childminders

Step 9: final home visit

You’ll have a final home visit at the end of the registration process. 

You’ll need to contact us to arrange this after you:

  • made all the changes to your home
  • completed the mandatory training for childminders

For your final visit, your home will need to be set up as if you are open for business. We’ll let you know if any further changes are required.

At this point you will be asked to get public liability insurance.

Once your registration is complete, you’ll receive your certificate and conditions of registration.

Mandatory training for childminders

You need to apply to become registered before you can access the courses below. 

Details of the training will be sent to you by your registration officer. Most courses are free, unless price is below.

You’ll have 1 year to complete all your childminder training from the date you apply to register.

Unless specified, you and anyone working for you must complete the mandatory training.

Find more professional development on information for registered providers​.

Course​​ When you need to do it Description
CEYS approved trainingWithin 12 months of registrationA series of 2-hour sessions delivered by a range of professionals.
Safeguarding and Child ProtectionTo be updated annuallyAn insight on Safeguarding, how to recognise the different areas of abuse, manage a disclosure and what to do in case of concerns.
Jersey's Children First (JCF) to include Children and Young People Statutory Guidance (CYPSG)Once before being registered

JCF Level 1: Introduction to Jersey's Children First (Virtual College Learning Course)

JCF Level 2: Jersey's Children First Essentials (Virtual College Learning Course)

CYPSG: Introduction

CYPSG: Working Together and Sharing Information

Paediatric First Aid, various providersTo be updated every 3 yearsAll aspects of paediatric First Aid training
Fire Safety trainingTo be updated every 3 yearsRequirements for safety in the home
Food Hygiene Level 2To be updated every 3 yearsGeneral food safety- register with the food safety and hygiene team
Car Seat SafetyWithin the first 12 months of registrationGeneral car seat safety. Find more details on Good Egg Car Safety
Business Aspect of Childminding by JACCWithin the first 12 months of registrationCovers responsibilities of a childminder including tax, social security, expenses, finance, accounting, partnership with parents and associated paperwork and documents




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