15 Essential Questions to Ask Any Childcare Provider

Choosing a childcare setting is one of the most significant decisions a parent makes, yet many families visit a setting once, spend 30 minutes in a show-round and make the decision based primarily on location and price. This is understandable – good childcare is difficult to find and the pressure to secure a place before they run out is real. But investing time in asking the right questions can make a very significant difference to your confidence in the setting and, ultimately, to your child’s experience.

Before your visit, do your background research. Read the Ofsted report (on reports.ofsted.gov.uk), check that the setting is currently registered (on the Ofsted register, also online), look at the setting’s website and any social media presence and, if possible, speak to other parents who use the setting. Then prepare your questions – and ask all of them, even if you feel you are taking too much of the manager’s time. A good setting will welcome thorough questions from prospective parents.

About Qualifications and Staff

Ask the setting manager about the qualifications of the staff who would care for your child. Under the EYFS, at least half of all staff must hold a relevant level 3 qualification. Ask what qualifications specifically are held and by how many staff. Ask whether any staff hold early years degree-level qualifications, as graduate-led provision has a particularly strong evidence base for quality. Ask how long staff have typically been at the setting – high staff turnover is one of the most significant risk factors for poor quality provision, because it disrupts children’s key person relationships and institutional knowledge.

Ask about the key person system:

• who would be your child’s key person, how many children they are key person for and what their experience is. Ask what would happen if your child’s key person is absent –
• is there a named deputy? Ask about induction and training: how are new staff inducted? Do they receive regular training updates in safeguarding, first aid and paediatric developments? These questions go to the professionalism and stability of the workforce

About Safeguarding

Do not be embarrassed to ask directly about safeguarding. Ask who the designated safeguarding lead is and what training they hold. Ask when the last safeguarding training refresh was for all staff. Ask whether all staff have enhanced DBS checks and whether the setting uses the DBS Update Service. Ask to see the safeguarding policy (you do not need to read it in full, but seeing it and being told it was last updated within the past year is a positive indicator). Ask what happens if a parent has a concern about their child’s wellbeing – what is the process for raising it?

A setting that is confident in its safeguarding arrangements will answer these questions readily and without defensiveness. Hesitation, vagueness or a sense that you are being difficult for asking these questions is a genuine red flag. Safeguarding is the most fundamental responsibility of any childcare setting, and a provider that is not transparent about its arrangements deserves serious scrutiny.

About the Daily Routine and Curriculum

Ask what a typical day looks like for a child of your child’s age. How much time is spent in free play vs adult-led activities? How much outdoor time is there each day? What happens if it rains (do children still go outside? How do staff plan activities) are they planned in advance or entirely led by what children choose on the day? How do staff track and record children’s development, and how is this communicated to parents?

For school-age children in after-school or holiday clubs, ask specifically about what activities are offered, whether homework support is available, what snacks are provided and what happens if a child is being bullied or is unhappy. Ask about how behaviour is managed – what is the setting’s approach to challenging behaviour and how is it communicated to parents?

About Communication with Parents

Good childcare involves genuine partnership with parents. Ask how the setting communicates with you – is it through a daily verbal handover, a daily diary, a digital platform such as Tapestry, regular parents’ evenings or some combination? Ask specifically: “If my child has a difficult day, how would I know about it?” and “If my child has made really good progress in something, how would that be shared with me?” The specificity of the answers tells you a great deal about how seriously the setting takes parent partnership.

Ask about transition arrangements – how will the setting help your child settle in at the start, and how will they support the transition to school when the time comes? Ask about what the setting shares with receiving schools and what contribution parents can make to that process.

Red Flags

The following observations during a visit should give you pause:

• Staff who do not acknowledge children individually or who manage behaviour primarily through instruction and control rather than positive engagement
• A manager who is defensive or dismissive when asked direct questions about qualifications, safeguarding or the inspection report
• Very high staff turnover – a significant proportion of temporary or supply staff, or a manager who cannot tell you how long key staff have been in post
• An environment that is visually stimulating but in which children appear bored, passive or disengaged
• Lack of outdoor provision, or outdoor spaces that are unsafe, empty or clearly not used regularly
• An inability to show you an up-to-date safeguarding policy or a Ofsted report that they seem reluctant to discuss
• An impression that the manager would prefer you not to ask too many questions

Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong during a visit, it is worth visiting again or choosing a different setting. The quality of the setting you choose matters profoundly for your child’s experience – and your own peace of mind.