Friends and Family Childcare
Many parents and carers use family and friends to care for their children.
Page last updated
A family member of friend may be able to care for child or children for some or all of the time and may be for many reasons including cost.A family member or friend may be allowed to care for a child in their own home or the child's home without registering with Ofsted if: no money or payment changes hands AND it is for 2 hours or less per day and some payment is made
Ofsted defines payment as a 'payment of money or money's worth' but does not include the provision of goods or services; it means payment for or towards the costs involved in the childcare, such as a contribution to heating and lighting, or paying for food or repairs to the place where the childminding happens.
For more information or if you are not sure whether you should register or not please contact Ofsted on 0300 123 1231 or contact Ofsted by email.
As with registered and non-registered childcare, talking about your requirements, responsibilities and specifics like diet, equipment, activities and routines at the beginning can really help.
You may wish to work towards an agreement or checklist to ensure that everyone involved are aware of what is required and what each other's responsibilities are.
The Grandparents Plus website [External Link] is a website that provides information and advice for grandparents who are looking to provide childcare for family members.