National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare for children up to the age of 12 years: statutory guidance - Audience and overview

Child minding and day care providers. 

All those with an interest in child minding and day care, parents and carers, local authorities and organisations in the child minding and day care sector. 

The National Minimum Standards (NMS) has 2 distinct parts. 

• National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare for children up to the age of 12 years: statutory guidance and
• National Minimum Standards for Regulated Day Care - Open Access Play for children aged 5 years to 12 years: statutory guidance. 

This document replaces the National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare (NMS) published in November 2023.

The standards in this document will be used to determine whether child minding and day care settings are providing adequate care for children up to the age of twelve. The National Minimum Standards for Open Access Play is provided separately.

The NMS is statutory guidance issued under the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010 and the Child Minding and Day Care (Wales) Regulations 2010 (as amended). 

The standards are made in accordance with section 30(3) of the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010 and are designed to assist providers and settings to meet the regulations that are relevant to the service they provide. 

They are to be read in the context of Part 2 (Child Minding and Day Care for Children) of the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010, as amended by The Regulation of Child Minding and Day Care (Wales) Order 2016; and associated regulations, the Child Minding and Day Care (Wales) Regulations 2010 (as amended).

Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) is the regulatory body responsible for registering and inspecting child minding and day care settings in Wales.

Registered child minding and day care providers must have regard to these standards. Compliance with the standards will be taken into account by the regulator in assessing whether a provider is compliant with relevant regulatory requirements.

Any questions should be addressed to:

Early Years, Childcare and Play Division
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

E-mail: childcareandplaymailbox@gov.wales

The Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010 

The Child Minding and Day Care Exceptions (Wales) Order 2010 (as amended)

The Child Minding and Day Care (Wales) Regulations 2010 (as amended) 

The Child Minding and Day Care (Inspection and Information for 

Local Authorities) (Wales) Regulations 2010

The Child Minding and Day Care (Disqualification) (No.2) (Wales) 

Regulations 2022