Childcare Act 2006

1. Introductory Text

2. Part 1 General functions of local authority: England

   1. Improvement of young children’s well-being

      1. 1. General duties of local authority in relation to well-being of young children

      2. 2. Meaning of “early childhood services” for purposes of section 3

      3. 3. Specific duties of local authority in relation to early childhood services

      4. 4. Duty of local authority and relevant partners to work together

      5. 5. Power to amend sections 2 and 4

   2. Provision of childcare

      1. 6. Duty to secure sufficient childcare for working parents

      2. 7. Duty to secure prescribed early years provision free of charge

      3. 8. Powers of local authority in relation to the provision of childcare

      4. 9. Arrangements between local authority and childcare providers

      5. 10. Charges where local authority provide childcare

      6. 11. Duty to assess childcare provision

   3. Information, advice and assistance

      1. 12. Duty to provide information, advice and assistance

      2. 13. Duty to provide information, advice and training to childcare providers

   4. Miscellaneous

      1. 14. Inspection

      2. 15. Powers of Secretary of State to secure proper performance etc.

      3. 16. Amendments of Children Act 2004

      4. 17. Charges for early years provision at maintained school

   5. Interpretation

      1. 18. Meaning of childcare

      2. 19. Meaning of “young child”

      3. 20. Meaning of “early years provision”

      4. 21. Interpretation of Part 1

3. Part 2 General Functions of Local Authority: Wales

   1. Provision of childcare

      1. 22. Duty to secure sufficient childcare for working parents

      2. 23. Powers of local authority in relation to the provision of childcare

      3. 24. Arrangements between local authority and childcare providers

      4. 25. Charges where local authority provide childcare

      5. 26. Power to require local authority to assess childcare provision

   2. Information, advice and assistance

      1. 27. Duty to provide information, advice and assistance

   3. Miscellaneous

      1. 28. Inspection

      2. 29. Powers of Assembly to secure proper performance etc.

   4. Interpretation

      1. 30. Interpretation of Part 2

4. Part 3 Regulation of Provision of Childcare in England

   1. Chapter 1 General functions of Chief Inspector

      1. 31. General functions of the Chief Inspector

      2. 32. Maintenance of the two childcare registers

   2. Chapter 2 Regulation of early years provision

      1. Requirements to register

         1. 33. Requirement to register: early years childminders

         2. 34. Requirement to register: other early years providers

      2. Process of registration

         1. 35. Applications for registration: early years childminders

         2. 36. Applications for registration: other early years providers

         3. 37. Entry on the register and certificates

         4. 38. Conditions on registration

      3. Requirements to be met by early years providers

         1. 39. The Early Years Foundation Stage

         2. 40. Duty to implement Early Years Foundation Stage

         3. 41. The learning and development requirements

         4. 42. Further provisions about assessment arrangements

         5. 43. Welfare requirements

         6. 44. Instruments specifying learning and development or welfare requirements

         7. 45. Procedure for making certain orders

         8. 46. Power to enable exemptions to be conferred

         9. 47. Independent schools

         10. 48. Amendments relating to curriculum

      4. Inspection

         1. 49. Inspections

         2. 50. Report of inspections

      5. Interpretation

         1. 51. Interpretation of Chapter 2

   3. Chapter 3 Regulation of later years provision for children under 8

      1. Requirements to register

         1. 52. Requirement to register: later years childminders for children under eight

         2. 53. Requirement to register: other later years providers for children under eight

      2. Process of registration

         1. 54. Applications for registration: later years childminders

         2. 55. Applications for registration: other later years providers

         3. 56. Entry on the register and certificates

         4. 57. Special procedure for registered early years providers

      3. Regulation

         1. 58. Conditions on registration

         2. 59. Regulations governing activities

      4. Inspection

         1. 60. Inspections

         2. 61. Report of inspections

   4. Chapter 4 Voluntary registration

      1. Process of voluntary registration

         1. 62. Applications for registration on the general register: childminders

         2. 63. Applications for registration on the general register: other childcare providers

         3. 64. Entry on the register and certificates

         4. 65. Special procedure for persons already registered

      2. Regulation of persons registering voluntarily

         1. 66. Conditions on registration

         2. 67. Regulations governing activities

   5. Chapter 5 Common provisions

      1. Cancellation of registration etc.

         1. 68. Cancellation of registration

         2. 69. Suspension of registration

         3. 70. Voluntary removal from register

         4. 71. Termination of voluntary registration on expiry of prescribed period

      2. Cancellation etc. in an emergency

         1. 72. Protection of children in an emergency

      3. Registration – procedural safeguards

         1. 73. Procedure for taking certain steps

         2. 74. Appeals

      4. Disqualification from registration

         1. 75. Disqualification from registration

         2. 76. Consequences of disqualification

      5. Rights of entry

         1. 77. Powers of entry

         2. 78. Requirement for consent to entry

         3. 79. Power of constable to assist in exercise of powers of entry

      6. Reports and information

         1. 80. Combined reports

         2. 81. Information to be included in annual reports

         3. 82. Supply of information to Chief Inspector

         4. 83. Supply of information to HMRC and local authorities

         5. 84. Disclosure of information for certain purposes

      7. Offences and criminal proceedings

         1. 85. Offence of making false or misleading statement

         2. 86. Time limit for proceedings

         3. 87. Offences by bodies corporate

         4. 88. Unincorporated associations

      8. Miscellaneous

         1. 89. Fees

         2. 90. Cases where consent to disclosure withheld

         3. 91. Co-operation between authorities

         4. 92. Combined certificates of registration

         5. 93. Notices

         6. 94. Power to amend Part 3: applications in respect of multiple premises

         7. 95. Certain institutions not to be regarded as schools

      9. Interpretation

         1. 96. Meaning of early years and later years provision etc.

         2. 97. Employees not to be regarded as providing childcare

         3. 98. Interpretation of Part 3

5. Part 4 Miscellaneous and General

   1. Provision of information about children

      1. 99. Provision of information about young children: England

      2. 100. Provision of information about young children: transitory provision

      3. 101. Provision of information about children: Wales

   2. Disqualification for registration under Children Act 1989

      1. 102. Disqualification for registration under Children Act 1989

   3. General

      1. 103. Minor and consequential amendments and repeals

      2. 104. Subordinate legislation: general provisions

      3. 105. Subordinate legislation: parliamentary control

      4. 106. General interpretation etc.

      5. 107. Financial provisions

      6. 108. Isles of Scilly

      7. 109. Commencement

      8. 110. The appropriate authority by whom commencement order is made

      9. 111. Short title and extent

6. SCHEDULES

   1. SCHEDULE 1

      Amendments relating to the curriculum

      1. 1. Interpretation

      2. 2. Education Act 1997 (c. 44)

      3. 3. Education Act 2002 (c. 32)

      4. 4. Omit section 77 of the 2002 Act (meaning of “nursery...

      5. 5. In section 78 of the 2002 Act (general requirements in...

      6. 6. (1) Section 79 of the 2002 Act (duty to implement...

      7. 7. (1) Section 80 of the 2002 Act (basic curriculum for...

      8. 8. Omit section 81 of the 2002 Act (the foundation stage)....

      9. 9. Omit section 83 of the 2002 Act (curriculum requirements for...

      10. 10. (1) Section 87 of the 2002 Act (establishment of National...

      11. 11. Omit section 89 of the 2002 Act (implementation in respect...

      12. 12. (1) Section 90 of the 2002 Act (development work and...

      13. 13. In section 93 of the 2002 Act (temporary exceptions for...

      14. 14. In section 94 of the 2002 Act (information concerning directions...

      15. 15. In section 96 of the 2002 Act (procedure for making...

      16. 16. In section 210 of the 2002 Act (orders and regulations)—...

   2. SCHEDULE 2

      Minor and consequential amendments

      1. 1. Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 (c. 42)

      2. 2. Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 (c. 43)

      3. 3. Supreme Court Act 1981 (c. 54)

      4. 4. Children Act 1989 (c. 41)

      5. 5. In the heading of Part 10A of the Children Act...

      6. 6. In Part 10A of the Children Act 1989 (including Schedule...

      7. 7. In section 79B of the Children Act 1989 (other definitions...

      8. 8. In section 79C of the Children Act 1989 (regulations etc....

      9. 9. In section 79D of the Children Act 1989 (requirement to...

      10. 10. In section 79H of the Children Act 1989 (suspension of...

      11. 11. In section 79K of the Children Act 1989 (protection of...

      12. 12. Omit sections 79N, 79Q and 79R of the Children Act...

      13. 13. In section 79S of the Children Act 1989 (general functions...

      14. 14. In section 79U of the Children Act 1989 (rights of...

      15. 15. In section 79V of the Children Act 1989 (function of...

      16. 16. In section 79W of the Children Act 1989 (requirement for...

      17. 17. In section 105 of the Children Act 1989 (interpretation) in...

      18. 18. (1) Schedule 9A to the Children Act 1989 (child minding...

      19. 19. Water Industry Act 1991 (c. 56)

      20. 20. Education Act 1996 (c. 56)

      21. 21. In section 318 of the Education Act 1996 (provision of...

      22. 22. (1) Section 329A of the Education Act 1996 (review or...

      23. 23. In section 509A of the Education Act 1996 (travel arrangements...

      24. 24. In section 512 of the Education Act 1996 (LEA functions...

      25. 25. (1) Section 515 of the Education Act 1996 (provision of...

      26. 26. (1) Section 535 of the Education Act 1996 (provision of...

      27. 27. (1) Section 548 of the Education Act 1996 (no right...

      28. 28. Education Act 1997 (c. 44)

      29. 29. Police Act 1997 (c. 50)

      30. 30. School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (c. 31)

      31. 31. Section 118A of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998...

      32. 32. (1) Section 119 of the School Standards and Framework Act...

      33. 33. (1) Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act...

      34. 34. In section 123 of the School Standards and Framework Act...

      35. 35. In section 142 of the School Standards and Framework Act...

      36. 36. (1) Schedule 26 to the School Standards and Framework Act...

      37. 37. Protection of Children Act 1999 (c. 14)

      38. 38. In section 9 of the Protection of Children Act 1999...

      39. 39. Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 (c. 43)

      40. 40. In section 42 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services...

      41. 41. Education Act 2002 (c. 32)

      42. 42. In section 176 of the Education Act 2002 (consultation with...

      43. 43. Children Act 2004 (c. 31)

      44. 44. Education Act 2005 (c. 18)

   3. SCHEDULE 3

      Repeals

      1. Part 1 The curriculum

      2. Part 2 Other repeals