Childcare provider information
We can give support and advice on:
- free nursery education funding
- business planning, policy and procedures
- health and safety
- safeguarding
The Childcare Development Team supports all day care settings across Central Bedfordshire, including:
- day nurseries
- pre-schools both sessional and extended
- before and after school clubs
- holiday schemes
- special needs schemes
Local authorities are obliged to ensure quality of childcare provision for children aged birth to 14 and up to aged 18 for disabled children. Each early years setting has a dedicated Childcare Development Officer (CDO) who can offer information, guidance and support on a wide range of areas. These include:
- early years foundation stage statutory framework
- safeguarding information, procedures and issues
- quality improvement programmes
- recent or upcoming Ofsted inspections
- devising and implementing policies and procedures
- staffing and employment issues
- working with a management committee or other management group
- setting up a new childcare business – planning, sustainability,
- business operations support
- childcare sufficiency assessment
- crisis support and intervention when required
- funding
- training
- signposting to other agencies for other services
For further information, please contact us: earlyyears@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk.