Registered childminders

The Early Years Sufficiency Team at Medway Council offers a range of information, advice and guidance to help you manage your business effectively, and ensure that the very best service is offered to children and their families.  This includes signposting on marketing your business, preparing for inspection, accessing training courses, evaluation and reflection, risk assessment and much more.


How we can help

In terms of marketing your business, the FIS provides a free advertising service at no cost to all childcare providers in the area.  Ofsted automatically informs the FIS about your registration and in turn, the FIS ensures that vital information about your business, including opening hours, costs, school-pick up are up-to-date through regular contact with you.  We advertise your service on our directory and through lists generated and shared with parents and carers looking for childcare.

The FIS also provides a brokerage service for parents who struggle to find childcare suitable to meet their child’s needs and their circumstances.  

More Support
The Family Information Service help line is 01634 332195 and is available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.  Should the line be engaged or the adviser is away from the desk, there is an answerphone facility available. Please leave a message and a member of staff will return your call.

You can also contact us via email familyinfo@medway.gov.uk or Facebook.  We use Facebook to contact large numbers of parents and providers to provide useful updates and information.

Childminders wishing to offer the free funded entitlement

570 hours of free nursery education and childcare per year is available to each eligible child aged 2, 3 or 4. This equates to 15 hours per week x 38 weeks per year. A childminder who provides the free entitlement claims the funding from Medway Council, and is known as an Accredited Childminder.

To be eligible to claim funding and offer the free funded entitlement to children aged 3 and 4; a registered Childminder must:

  • Have a current Ofsted grading of Requires Improvement (Satisfactory), Good or Outstanding.

To be eligible to claim funding and offer the free funded entitlement to children aged 2; a registered Childminder must:

  • Have a current Ofsted grading of Good or Outstanding

If you are a registered childminder in Medway and wish to be eligible for funding please email: eyheadcount@medway.gov.uk clearly stating ‘Application to become an Accredited Childminder’ in the subject bar. In your email please provide the following information: Full name, address, telephone number; URN; Current Ofsted grading. We will then contact you to arrange the administrative details within 7 working days.