Frequently Asked Questions

Applying for Approval
Qualifications and Inductions Courses
First Aid
Advertising and finding an Approved Childcarer
Employing an approved childcarer
Other childcare and related schemes
Health, Safety and Protection
Financial Support

Applying for approval

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Q. If I care for a child in their home or for a child over 7, on other domestic premises do I have to be approved?

A. No, this is a voluntary scheme but it will enable you to prove to your employer that you have met the criteria and will enable them to access financial support should they be eligible, which should make you more employable.

Q. How much will it cost to become approved?

A. The approval fee will be £99.00 for applications submitted from 3rd April 2006 (this includes VAT and is non-refundable). This covers the cost of administration and Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure (CRB check). The scheme will be run on a cost recovery basis and will be expected to pay for itself through the charge. The fee is applicable annually as approval is renewed. Approval lasts for 12 months so you will need to reapply every year.

Q. I am working as a childcarer in Scotland/Wales, can I apply to be approved?

A. The Childcare Approval Scheme (CAS) only applies to England although if you live in Scotland or Wales and look after children in England you can apply to become an Approved Childcarer.

Q. Why are we not accepting portability of CRB checks?

A. Nestor in line with company policy under advice and guidance from the CRB does not accept portability because certain information is only supplied to the CRB Registered Body. The applicant does not have access to it and therefore when a CRB check Certificate is taken onto another organisation this additional information does not follow.

Q. What can someone do if they are refused approval?

A. In the first instance childcarers can ask the Approval Body to reconsider their decision. If after this internal appeals process the childcarer is still not happy with the decision they can appeal to the Care Standards Tribunal.

The Care Standards Tribunal is an independent body established under the Protection of Children Act 1999. More information about the tribunal is available on the web site - www.carestandardstribunal.gov.uk

Qualifications and induction courses

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Q. Why have you only set the criteria at induction level training?

A. By setting a low qualification threshold for approval, we hope to attract informal childcarers and to encourage them, to become qualified. By requiring attendance at an induction course, a CRB check and a first aid certificate, we expect to see standards of care being raised as well as parents getting help with the cost. We hope that many childcarers will be encouraged to complete further training.

Q. How can I get on an Induction course?

A. You could search through your local Yellow pages, ask your local authority or local Citizen's Advice Bureau or look on the Internet. Details of suitable courses are listed on the Qualifications page.

First Aid

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Q. Where can I get a relevant First Aid course?

A. You could search through your local Yellow pages, ask your local authority or local Citizen´s Advice Bureau or look on the Internet. The important point is that the course must be suitable for the care of children / babies and cover as a minimum; dealing with emergencies, resuscitation, shock, choking and anaphylactic shock. Full guidance on suitable First Aid courses is available to local authorities. You will have to declare that the course contained these elements. For full information visit the First Aid page.

Advertising and finding an Approved Childcarer

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Q. As an approved childcarer how can I advertise my services to parents and where can parents go to find an approved childcarer?

A. There are three main places where childcarers can advertise their services and where parents can go to find an approved childcarer. These are:

• Advertisements
  Approved childcarers may advertise their services within their local area for example in the local newspaper, library, local shop or supermarket. They may also wish to advertise on the internet.
• Agencies
  Approved childcarers may advertise their services through an agency that recruits childcarers.
• Children´s Information Service (CIS)
  The Children´s Information Service and ChildcareLink will not have details of approved childcarers passed onto them by the approval body. We have left it up to individual childcarers to decide whether they are in a position to ask their local CIS to hold their details for onward transmission to enquiring parents or inclusion in any vacancy filling process.

Employing an approved childcarer

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Q. How will I be able to find out if a childcarer is approved?

A. Each approved childcarer will be given an Approval letter with their name, period of validity and a unique identity number. With this information, plus the childcarer´s CRB unique identifier which will not be on the letter, the employer will be able to find out if the childcarer is approved or not via the interactive website.

Q. Is there any detailed guidance available for parents with regards to employing an approved childcarer?

A. Yes, a booklet entitled ‘Employing an Approved Childcarer a guide for parents’ can be down loaded from this website.

Q. If I want someone to look after my children in my home do I have to be their employer?

A. Her Majesty´s Revenue and Customs can advise on this. A first source of help is their leaflet IR 56 which is available on their website www.hmrc.gov.uk

Other childcare and related schemes

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Q. There are many differing forms of childcare. What is available to guide parents trying to decide what is best for their children?

A. The Sure Start Unit in conjunction with the Daycare Trust have produced a booklet entitled ‘Choosing Childcare’. This outlines the main forms of childcare for the under 5s and offers some ideas on when each form of childcare may be especially useful. There is also the ChildcareLink website at: www.childcarelink.gov.uk/index.asp where you can search for details of registered childcare and related information. Alternatively, you can contact the National ChildcareLink phone line on Tel. 0800 096 0296 (lines open 8am-8pm weekdays, 9am -12pm Saturdays). They will direct you to your local Children´s Information Service, who will provide you with childcare information.

Q. What is the difference between a childminder and a Home Childcarer?

A. The main difference between a childminder and a Home Childcarer is that childminders are usually self employed and working in their own home rather than employed by the parents to work in the parents´ home. Childminders caring for children under eight are required to meet the national standards for childminding, be registered and inspected by Ofsted and pay a fee on an annual basis. More information about becoming a registered childminder can be found at www.ofsted.gov.uk/childminders/.

To become an approved childcarer under the new scheme administered by Nestor you do not need to be a registered childminder.

Health, Safety and Protection

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Q. What protection will there be for an approved childcarer working in the parent's home if that home is dangerous to either the children or the childcarer?

A. The identification of any risks will be a matter for the childcarer and parents.

Q. How can parents be sure their childcarer is in good enough health to care for children?

A. If parents are concerned about the health of their childcarer they should ask for a medical reference as part of their pre employment checks.

Q. What will the approval body do if notified of an approved childcarer having harmed a child?

A. Advise the caller to notify the appropriate Authority. Take details of the childcarer and address and pass on the information to the local Social Services. If informed that an appropriate authority is investigating the allegations, approval would be withdrawn. Should the investigation clear them of wrong doing the childcarer can re-apply to become approved.

Financial support

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Q. What about people caring for children they are related to? Will the parents of the children be able to claim the childcare element of the Working Tax Credit?

A. Childcare will not be qualifying care for the Working Tax Credit childcare element or through tax and NICs savings on employer supported childcare or childcare vouchers if that care is provided by:

• A relative of a child caring for that child in the child´s home even if the relative is registered or approved.
• A childcarer approved under the scheme who is caring for a child away from the child's home who is only caring for related children.

For more advice on the Working Tax Credit please contact Her Majesty´s Revenue and Customs Helpline on 0845 300 3900. www.hmrc.gov.uk

Q. Do I need to be approved if I am paid in childcare vouchers?

A. No but your employer will only benefit from tax and National Insurance Contributions savings if you are either registered or approved. For information about tax and National Insurance visit www.hmrc.gov.uk/childcare.

Q. Will being approved automatically mean that my employer can get financial help?

A. No, they will also have to satisfy Her Majesty´s Revenue and Customs eligibility conditions. See guidance at www.hmrc.gov.uk/childcare for information on tax and National Insurance Contribution breaks on employer-supported childcare or call the Tax credits helpline on 0845 300 3900 for advice on tax credits and qualifying care.