This blog explains what it means to be an Ofsted registered nanny. We talk about how to register, the requirements you need to follow and how and when you may be inspected.
What is a nanny?
The Department for Education (DfE) says a nanny is someone who looks after children from no more than two families and does this mainly or entirely in the children’s own homes.
If you work as a nanny, you need to make sure your work fits within the legal exemptions – these are the rules that mean you do not have to register with Ofsted to provide childcare.
Do nannies register with Ofsted?
The law says that this type of childcare taking place in a child’s own home is exempt from registering with Ofsted. This means that, if you’re a nanny, you don’t have to register with Ofsted, but you may choose to.
Are nannies on the childcare register?
If you do decide to register with Ofsted, you must apply to join the voluntary part of the Childcare Register.
The Childcare Register has 2 parts:
- the compulsory part, for types of childcare providers who must register
- the voluntary part, for those who choose to register
Nannies can only register on the voluntary part.
If you want to register, you must show that you can meet the relevant Voluntary Childcare Register requirements.
The requirements cover:
- your suitability to provide childcare
- child welfare and safeguarding
- relevant qualifications, training and insurance
- health and safety
- organisation of childcare
- providing information to parents and Ofsted
Where can nannies work from?
Nannies work in the home(s) of the children they care for.
If you’re a nanny registered with Ofsted, we need to know the address of the home(s) where you will provide childcare. You must keep your contact information and care arrangements up to date, including the addresses of all the homes where you provide childcare, so we can contact you.
However, unlike other childcare providers, you do not need to meet any specific requirements about the home or homes where you work. We will still check you understand how to keep children safe but will not specifically check the premises where you are working, either when you register or during inspection. This is an important difference between a nanny and other registered providers.
An example of this in practice is the DfE’s plans to change regulations on 1 September 2026 which will prevent all childcare providers, except nannies, from caring for children on premises where a banned dog breed lives. Although nannies do not need to follow this requirement as part of registration, you are responsible for highlighting any risks and concerns to the parents of the children in the home where you work.
If we do need to inspect you, we cannot enter the home without permission from the occupier.
How do nannies care for children from multiple families?
Some nannies provide childcare for several sets of parents on different days. It’s important that you always work in line with the requirements set by the DfE.
You can work with as many families as you like, but you must only care for children from 2 families at any one time. For example, you can care for 2 children who are not related on Monday, and then 2 different unrelated children on Tuesday.
You could also care for different children in the morning and the afternoon, but when children are together they must not be from more than 2 families and the care must take place in one of their homes.
If you want to care for children from more than 2 different families at once, you can’t do this as a nanny and must legally register as a childminder (either with us or with a childminding agency). If you start doing it without registering as a childminder, you’re running unregistered childcare. This is illegal and therefore an offence.
How do Ofsted inspect and regulate nannies?
Each year, we inspect 10% of all providers on the Childcare Register.
We decide which providers we will inspect based on the information we have and the risk to children. If we do inspect you as a nanny, you must be able to show us that you meet the relevant requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register.
During these inspections, we’re checking for compliance and we give a judgement of ‘met’ or ‘not met’. This is different to providers registered on the Early Years Register, who receive multiple grades on a report card under the renewed inspection framework.
If you choose to register, you have to meet all the requirements of your registration at all times. This includes having appropriate insurance and relevant first aid training, even when you’re not caring for children.
If we find that you do not meet the registration requirements as a nanny, we can take action to keep children safe. This may include refusing your registration, or raising an action or suspension. Our early years and childcare enforcement policy explains more.
Our official statistics from August 2025 say that 7,230 nannies have chosen to register. Many do this so that parents who use them are able to claim tax-free childcare entitlements. The Best Start in Life website explains everything about this.
Can existing childminders also work as nannies?
If you’re already registered as a childminder with Ofsted, you can also operate as a nanny using your current registration.
All you need to do is contact us to let us know that you want to start providing this type of care. We’ll then send you an updated certificate. You can email us from the email address we have on record.
As of August 2025, over 1,800 registered childminders had done this.
More information
We have guidance pages for Ofsted-registered nannies.
You can also read all of the legal requirements for registered nannies – remember, once registered, you need to meet these requirements at all times.
Leave a comment