Employer information

Early years qualification guidance (opens new window) provides details on recognised qualifications to help providers identify whether and applicant is suitably qualified.

Grants and loans for training

For small businesses and childcare settings who have limited budgets, staff may be expected to take unpaid leave to attend training and contribute towards the cost of training. Employers need to be sure there is a fair balance between the employee and employer contributions. For this purpose, employers and employees can utilise schemes set up to help with course fees.

• Apprenticeship support grants (opens new window)
• Advanced learner loans (opens new window)
• Student finance (opens new window)
• Discretionary learner support (opens new window)
• City & Guilds funding, bursaries and student grants (opens new window)

Supporting staff through qualifications

Qualifications are mostly work based although some are delivered in a college setting or as a mixture of the two. You should assign your learner an experienced mentor who can guide them through their qualification in the workplace. The best person would be someone who has already gained or surpassed the qualification level and would be keen to be a mentor as part of their own progression.

As an employer you should ensure adequate time is provided for your employee to get support with their written work, identify work based evidence and to discuss feedback on progress. When planning your staff training you should consider which courses will benefit team resilience as well as personal progression, the cost, and how training will be recorded.

Childcare providers must comply with the staff-child ratios set out in the Early years statutory framework (opens new window). These requirements dictate the minimum number of adults needed to supervise children based on the number of children and  their age.

An enhanced criminal records disclosure (DBS check) with children's barred list check must be obtained for all adults who undertake 'regulated activity' with children, which includes most individuals in childcare roles.

The DBS provide a search list of the umbrella bodies who process DBS checks (opens new window) for childcare workers. You can search by sector (education), by location (local is best in case staff need to visit the office in person) and by specialist services (e.g. online support). Voluntary workers receive the check for free, but must pay the handling fee.

Trustees, owners and directors of a setting who make up the registered person with Ofsted and anyone living or working in a childminder's household - must apply for DBS checks via GOV.UK: DBS checks for childminders and childcare workers (opens new window).

If a staff member or successful applicant is registered with the DBS update service (opens new window), employers can ask for permission to view their original DBS check and carry out an instant free online check of any new information relating to their record. Employees pay £13 a year to register. Volunteers can register for free.

All staff and those who make up the Ofsted registered person must also complete a declaration that they are not disqualified from working with children. From 31 August 2018, disqualification by association is only relevant where childcare is provided in domestic settings (eg where childminding is provided in the home) therefore schools and non-domestic settings (ie nurseries and pre-schools) no longer have to ask staff questions about offences committed by someone living or working in their household.