Childcare Act 2006

First ever Early Years and Childcare Act

The new Childcare Act, passed into law on 11 July, is truly pioneering legislation and is the first ever exclusively concerned with early years and childcare. The Act will help transform childcare and early years services in England for generations to come, taking forward some of the key commitments from the Ten Year Childcare Strategy published in December 2004.

Measures in the Act formalise the important strategic role local authorities play through a set of new duties. These duties will require authorities to improve the five ECM outcomes for all pre-school children and reduce inequalities in these outcomes; secure sufficient childcare for working parents; and provide a better parental information service. The Bill also reforms and simplifies early years regulation and inspection arrangements providing for a new integrated education and care quality framework (for pre-school children) and the new Ofsted Childcare Register. The aim is that the Act's main provisions will come into effect in 2008. For further information please follow the links below.

Download a summary of the Childcare Act.
Download the text of the Childcare Act from the Office of Public Sector Information website.
Download the Regulatory Impact Assessment for the Childcare Bill.

Regulations and Guidance

During the passage of the Act, we published documents giving an early indication of how regulations and guidance will be framed. Click to download these documents.

From 1 April 2008, local authorities will have a duty to provide information, advice and assistance to parents and prospective parents of children and young people up to age 20. You can read more about this duty, introduced in section 12 of the Childcare Act 2006, on the Parents, Carers and Families webpage of the Every Child Matters website. The guidance can also be downloaded from the same webpage.

Early Years Outcomes Targets for Local Authorities Consultation

The Government has launched a consultation on draft regulations establishing the process for setting statutory early years outcomes targets for local authorities under the Childcare Act 2006. The consultation documents can be found on the e-consultation website.

Future approach to fees and subsidies consultation

A consultation on the on the proposed structure and level of fees payable to Ofsted by childcare providers joining the Early Years Register or compulsory part of the Ofsted Childcare Register from September 2008, was launched on 21 November 2007. Views are also sought on proposals for changes to the subsidy arrangements. The consultation will run until 20 February 2008. Visit the DCSF e-consultation website for further details and to respond online.