Early years: where your child can learn

Learning and playing with other children in a safe, structured environment, will help your child’s development, giving them a head start when they begin school. There are a number of options available.

Childminders

Childminders are self-employed carers who work from their own homes. They must be registered with Social Services if they look after children to whom they are not closely related, for more than two hours in any day for reward.

Childminders can care for up to six children under the age of 12 (including their own), only three of these may be under the age of five and usually only one under the age of one (exceptions may be made in the case of siblings, for example twins).

Annual inspections are carried out by Social Services on both the home and the childminder. In addition, all adults living in the childminder’s home are checked by the police.

Many childminders are members of the Northern Ireland Childminding Association (NICMA) and receive guidance and sometimes training from this organisation.

• Northern Ireland Childminding Association (contacts section)

Home childcarers and nannies

Home childcarers

A home childcarer is a new form of approved childcare introduced by the Government to enable parents to have their children cared for in their own home and which is eligible for financial help towards the cost, for example, through the Working Tax Credit or National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and tax exempt childcare vouchers.

Some families, for example, those who work outside the traditional Monday to Friday, nine to five working hours, families with children with disabilities or larger families, may prefer childcare in their own home.

Home childcarers are professional childcarers offering children safe, good quality care and providing them with play and learning opportunities that contribute to their development.

Nannies

A nanny is employed by you to look after your child in your home and can ‘live in’ or come to your home for set days and hours.

Many have nursery nurse training or childcare qualifications, though this is not compulsory.

Nannies are not inspected or registered by Social Services unless the nanny cares for children from more than two families, so you are responsible for interviewing and checking all the relevant references of nannies.

There is no help for costs of childcare provided by nannies through the childcare element of the Working Tax Credit.

Nursery schools and classes

Nursery schools and classes which are staffed by teachers and assistants, provide pre-school education primarily designed for children in their final pre-school year.

Most places are available:

• at least two and a half hours per day
• five days per week
• for at least 38 weeks during the period September to June

Some nursery schools and classes may offer full-time places (around four hours, with lunch available).

All nursery schools are registered and inspected by the Education and Training Inspectorate.

Children who attend, get the chance to play and learn alongside other children and acquire skills which will give them a head start at school.

Day nurseries

Day nurseries are usually privately run and provide care for children aged from six weeks to five years old. All day nurseries must be registered and annually inspected by Social Services.

There are strict guidelines on staff/children ratios which must be complied with – for under-twos, one carer to three children; two to three year-olds, one carer to four children; three to five-year-olds, one carer to eight children.

Day nurseries are usually opened from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm and care is usually provided all year round.

Day nurseries participating in the Pre-School Education Expansion Programme will have an allocation of funded places for which children in their final pre-school year can apply.

These places will be available:

• at least two and a half hours per day
• five days per week
• at least 38 weeks during the period September to June

Playgroups

Playgroups provide daily sessions (usually two - four hours) of care and learning through play for children aged three and four years old.

Playgroups are run by trained early years professionals and emphasise parental involvement. A parent committee runs some voluntary playgroups.

Playgroups are registered by Social Services, inspected annually and usually operate throughout the school term.

Playgroups participating in the Pre-School Education Expansion Programme will have an allocation of funded places for which children in their final pre-school year can apply.

Out-of-school care

Out-of-school care caters for children of compulsory school age up to 12 years and usually operates in the form of an after-school-club which may operate from 2.00 pm – 6.00 pm. Many after-school-clubs extend their hours during the summer to provide full day care.

Clubs are registered and inspected annually by Social Services and children receive a healthy snack and a full programme of activities. Some providers will transport your child from school to the club.

Your child is signed in, and signed out again, when collected.

Breakfast clubs are another form of out-of-school care. Usually operating from 7:30 am, they allow working parents to leave their children in safe care and transport to school is normally provided.