Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Family, home and community
  3. Parenting and childcare
  4. Childcare
  5. Types of childcare

Day nurseries

Day nurseries are usually privately run and provide care for children aged from six weeks to five years old. All must be registered and annually inspected by Early Years Team in your local Health and Social Care Trust.

Minimum Standards for group childcare settings

All day nurseries must adhere to the Department of Health’s Minimum Standards, which include strict guidelines on the ratio of staff to children.

Day nurseries are usually open from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm all year round.

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

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

In day nurseries:

  • 50 per cent of staff must have a childcare qualification
  • children have the chance to learn and play with friends
  • childcare is reliable - if one member of staff is ill, others are available to cover
  • some day nurseries offer school pick-ups and out of school care
  • you may be eligible for financial help and support towards the cost of your childcare
  • funded places may be available for children in their final pre-school year
  • part time places are often available

Some day nurseries are not flexible if you work shifts or weekends and there can be long waiting lists for a place.

Things to check with day nurseries

Before your child goes to a day nursery, you should check the nursery:

  • has places for your child's age group - some don't take children under two years old 
  • has a key worker carer system - babies in particular need to build up a relationship with one person
  • is clean, bright and child-centred, with plenty of safe space to play inside and out
  • has suitable facilities for your child throughout their time there, with different areas or rooms, depending on age
  • has children present who seem happy and relaxed
  • supervises children at all times with staff who communicate well in a warm and caring environment

Questions to ask day nurseries

You need to ask the day nursery about how they organise and run the place. You should ask:

  • the ratio of carers to children and turnover of staff in the last year
  • about the routine activities
  • when and where they give children sleep sessions
  • if they take the children off the day nursery premises
  • if they can provide a special diet
  • their discipline policy
  • about talking to the carer at the beginning and end of each day
  • their settling-in policy
  • for their most recent inspection report

Family support NI

Family support NI holds the Northern Ireland public register of all registered and approved childcare providers in Northern Ireland. You can use their website to search for registered and approved childcare providers in your area.

  • Family Support NI

Childcare partnerships

Childcare partnerships give information and support to childcare providers, parents and employers.

  • Childcare partnerships

More useful links

  • Choosing a school
  • Give your child a helping hand
  • Financial support for parents
  • Childcare Choices
Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

Types of childcare

  • Childminders
  • Day nurseries
  • Home childcarers
  • Playgroups and crèches

Translation help

How to translate this page

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?
Report a problem
Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

Messages

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What is your question about?

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

Related sites

  • gov.uk
  • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

Links to supporting information

  • Accessibility statement
  • Crown copyright
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS