New childminders often set up a folder for each child and wonder what's missing. The EYFS requires you to keep certain records and share them with parents, and Ofsted can ask to see them. Here's what I keep for every child, with the records the EYFS asks for and the ones that are simply good practice.
Before the child starts
- The signed contract, with the child's place, days, times and fees.
- The family information form: the child's details, parents and carers, who has parental responsibility, emergency contacts, and who can collect.
- Health information: allergies, medical conditions, dietary needs, GP and immunisations.
- Consents: emergency treatment, photos, outings, transport, sun cream and anything else you do.
- For funded children, the parental declaration from your local authority.
While the child is with you
- Attendance: the daily record of hours each child attends.
- Medicine permission forms, and a record of every dose given.
- Accident and incident records, signed by a parent.
- Invoices, showing funded and private hours separately for funded children.
- Learning records: observations, next steps and the progress check at age two, if the child is that age.
- Any changes to the contract, such as new hours, signed and dated.
Kept separately and securely
- Safeguarding records, kept apart from the main folder and shared only with people who need to know.
When the child leaves
- Pass on learning records and anything the family is entitled to.
- Keep records only as long as your privacy notice says, then destroy them securely. Some, such as accident records, may need to be kept longer.
Paper or digital
Either works, as long as records are kept securely and you can find them quickly. Lock paper away, and keep digital records encrypted with a password.
How GoChildmind helps
GoChildmind keeps each child's contract and family information together in one encrypted record, and the family form collects the details, health information and consents in one go, before the first day.
Set up your first child, freeWhat the family form asks
Questions people ask
What records does Ofsted look at for childminders? Inspectors may ask about attendance, accident and medicine records, consents, and how you share information with parents. They expect records to be accurate and kept securely.
How long should a childminder keep records? As long as your privacy notice says, which is often three years after the child leaves, and longer for some records such as accidents.