Today (17 October) the Department for Education made several announcements around early years and childcare.

Childminder flexibilities

As we shared last week, from 1 November childminders will be able to apply new flexibilities in the way they run their business. These changes will:

• Create a new category of childminder (childminder without domestic premises) who work entirely from non-domestic premises.
• Increase, from 3 to 4, the total number of people that can work together under a childminder’s registration (including the childminder).
• Give childminders and providers of childcare on domestic premises (CODPs) more flexibility, allowing them to spend more time operating outside of domestic premises, such as a community hall or school.
• Increase the number of people needed for CODPs to operate from 4 or more, to 5 or more people providing care (CODPs that were registered, or applied to register, before 1 November can continue operating with 4 or more people).

PACEY has had lengthy discussions with the Department for Education and Ofsted around how this may impact the sector. As a result of these discussions and questions raised by PACEY members, we have published a comprehensive guide about the new flexibilities and the initial reaction from the childminding sector.

Funding for school-based nurseries

The first stage of the government’s plan to deliver 3,000 school-based nurseries has begun, with the first round of funding for up to 300 school-based nurseries launching today. Read the press release in full.

PACEY has urged the Department for Education to consider how childminders will fit into these plans and the impact it may have on the wider early years and childcare sector.

Are you a childminder who works in close partnership with a school already? We would like to hear from you. Please email our policy team: policy@pacey.org.uk.

Consultation on consumable charges

As announced in the school-based nurseries press release, the government is also going to be “engaging with local authorities and providers to clarify our statutory guidance on charging, including on so-called ‘top up fees’ and consider how we better support local authorities to protect parents from overcharging.”

PACEY will ensure you have the chance to engage in this consultation. In our recent survey of 440 childminders, a quarter of you said you have introduced or increased a consumable fee since the new funded provision offer began in September 2024. This is largely because the funding rates (particularly the lower rates for 3-4 year olds) do not reflect the cost of delivering provision.

Voluntary charges might cover things like food, nappies and wipes, suncream and weather appropriate items, trips out of the setting and additional activities. We know that many of you work closely with families to support them with costs, if they have difficulty meeting these.

“Funded childcare for 3 and 4 year olds in my area is way too low, it doesn’t even cover our hourly rate. That’s why I have had to put in a consumable charge otherwise I cannot afford to provide appropriate activities for the children”

– Childminder respondent in our Autumn survey (October 2024)

Strengthening the EYFS safeguarding requirements

The government has also today announced proposed changes to EYFS safeguarding requirements, including safer recruitment practices, new safeguarding training criteria and new requirements to ensure safer eating. These are expected to be implemented from September 2025. Thank you to the PACEY members who engaged with the DfE consultation on safeguarding – you can read the response to the consultation in full.