National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare for children up to the age of 12 years: statutory guidance - Audience and overview
Standard of care child minding and day care providers must meet to look after children under 12.
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Standard 18: Quality
Child’s voice: People who care for me listen to me and my family and are always trying to be the best they can be.
Well-being outcome: Babies and children and their parents benefit from a quality service that is effectively monitored.
The registered person is responsible for ensuring that:
18.1 There are effective systems and processes used for continuous monitoring, reviewing, and improving the quality of all aspects of the service provided, that meet the requirements of Regulation 16 - Review of Quality of Care.
18.2 They regularly seek and take on board the views of children and their parents, staff and other practitioners/professionals about what improvements could be made. This is embedded in practice to measure the success of the service as part of these processes.
18.3 Following a Quality of Care Review, they must, within 28 days, prepare a report of that review and make a copy of that report available in an appropriate format when requested to parents/carers, a local authority arranging for child minding or day care for a relevant child, staff and Welsh Ministers. This must be done at least annually.
18.4 The Quality of Care Review should represent a continuous improvement cycle and should form part of a culture of quality improvement. This involves using tools and methods systematically such as; Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care provision (ECPLC) Quality Framework (and accompanying resources) Chwarae o Safon self-assessment quality assurance framework or sector endorsed quality schemes, improvement tools and good practice guidance.
18.5 Account is taken of the advice and recommendations of CIW and any professional bodies to which settings may be affiliated.
To assist providers, the principal regulatory requirements underpinning this standard are outlined below, followed by relevant guidance. Providers should note that neither list is exhaustive, and that providers must have regard to all standards relevant to their service and the circumstances concerned.
Related Regulations
Further Guidance and Support
Early childhood play, learning and care in Wales - Hwb
Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care: Assessment Arrangements for 0 to 3 year olds in Wales
Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care: Developmental Pathways 0 to 3
Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care: Reflective Practice Toolkit
A Quality Framework for Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care in Wales