Register a childminding service

Childminders must, by law, register with the Care Inspectorate. 

The legal definition of a childminder is a person who works with children for more than two hours a day in the childminder’s own home for reward.

We regulate childminders using the Health and Social Care Standards and the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010.

Before you apply to register as a childminder you should read: 

You can also visit The Hub, our ‘one-stop-shop’ website which has a wide range of resources aimed at supporting improvement in social care and social work by sharing intelligence and research-led practice.

What to expect from the registration process

You can now apply to register a care service online, using our new, secure system.  The online application is simple to complete and only asks you questions that are relevant to your service type.

You can manage your application easily.  You can save it as you go and return to it later so you can complete and submit at your own pace.  You can go back to previous stages to check, change and add to your application.  The new application allows you to upload supporting documents and pay your application fee.

Read our guidance for applicants on applying to register a care service and online registration application form - user guide before applying. 

Fees

The registration fee for a childminder is £28.00.  This must be paid before we can consider your application.  An annual continuation fee of £17.00 is also applied for every year that you are registered.  

All application fees are non-returnable.

Find out more about our fees.

Fire safety information

The Chief Fire Officer Association on behalf of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has produced guidance on the fire precautions childminders should take.

You should complete the following documents and return them to the relevant organisation when you are ready to do so.  As the checklist is a declaration that everything is in place you may wish to wait until later in the process to do this.

Membership of the PVG scheme and criminal records checks

You must pay an additional fee for the cost of a Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme record checks as appropriate.  We will determine from your application who this will be applicable to and be in contact with you to provide the relevant disclosure documentation.

You can find out more about the fees for PVG applications on the Disclosure Scotland website.

The Care Inspectorate must be a counter signatory to your own scheme record, and as such we require you to progress your PVG application through us.  Once we complete the first part of the PVG application, you’ll receive an email with a link to complete your section.

Please be aware that, in addition to the PVG check, the Care Inspectorate also run online searches of publicly available information.  If we have concerns about the information we find, we may contact Police Scotland.

Registering with Disclosure Scotland

For you to countersign PVG or disclosure checks for your staff or volunteers, you must be registered with Disclosure Scotland.  You can find out how to register with Disclosure Scotland on their website. You will have a number of responsibilities after your register, including:

  • following Disclosure Scotland's Code of Practice
  • referring individuals to Disclosure Scotland when harmful or potential harmful behaviour and you dismiss the person as a result (or would or might have done had they not otherwise left).

You can also use an umbrella body to countersign PVG or disclosure checks on behalf of your organisation.  A list of umbrella bodies is available on the Disclosure Scotland website.

Contact Disclosure Scotland if you need help:

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: 0300 020 0040
Monday to Thursday: 9am to 4pm
Friday: 9am to 3:30pm

What happens next?

Once we have received your completed application and all the documentation we have asked you for, and you have paid the fee, we will contact you.  We aim to assess applications for a childminding service within three months and all other services within six months.  However, this presumes that you supply us with a competent and fully detailed application, as well as any additional information we request.  It is in your interest to give us all the information we ask for in the application form to prevent any delays or the risk of us closing or refusing your application.

Once you have submitted your application form our national registration team will assess and check:

  • that the information you give us in the application form is appropriate and comprehensive
  • that the correct fee has been paid
  • whether you are fit to provide and manage the service
  • if your premises (where the service is to be provided) is fit to be used for that purpose
  • that the proposed service will make all the proper provisions for the health, welfare, independence, choice, privacy and dignity of everyone using the service.

We may also check the financial viability of the service.  Any information we ask for during this process is in accordance with the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010.

Successful registration

If your registration is successful, we will confirm this and also provide you with a certificate of registration, (electronically via our eForm portal), detailing the conditions of registration.  You should print the certificate and display it so that anyone who uses your service can read it.  The conditions of registration are also available on our care service list.

You will also see a list of records that you must keep and a list of notifications that you must make to the Care Inspectorate within our eForms portal.  See our guidance on records childminding services must keep and guidance on notification recording.

Decisions on an application to register a service

Following an application for registration, under Section 59(1) of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 ("the Act"), the Care Inspectorate can in terms of

s60(1):

  • grant the application unconditionally, s60(1)
  • grant the application subject to conditions, s60(2)
  • refuse the application, s60(1).

If we propose to refuse your registration, or to grant registration subject to conditions that have not been agreed in writing, we must give you notice of our proposal to do so.  Such a notice, where sent by post, is deemed (by section 101 of the Act) to be received on the third day after the day it was posted. 

If you wish to dispute any matters, you must do this in writing within 14 days.  The notice of proposal will state where these must be addressed to.

If we propose to refuse registration, or to grant registration subject to conditions that have not been agreed in writing, you have a right of appeal to the sheriff.  This right is set out at section 75 of the Act.  Any appeal must be made within 14 days (17 days if we have sent this in the post). 

The Scottish Childminding Association

The Scottish Childminding Association is an organisation dedicated to supporting childminders in Scotland.  From helping you with your application to register, to offering courses to help you keep up with latest developments in childcare, you can get lots of helpful advice and information.  Visit their website or call them on 01786 445377.

Create an account to begin your application

Sign in to see an existing application 

If you need the application form in an alternative format, please call our contact centre on 0345 600 9527.


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Datastore

Our datastore is an online statistics tool for professionals who need to know about care services in Scotland.  It can provide information such as the number of care homes for older people in a particular area, or how many complaints have been upheld in the last year.

The Datastore provides information about the type and quality of care services in Scotland.  All current services (as at the date of the file) are included in the datastore, services that cancelled since the last update are removed and newly registered services are added each month.

The Datastore is available to download in two formats: an excel format which contains some pre-prepared pivot tables to assist with data analysis and a csv format which only contains the data.  These files are updated monthly.  There is also a separate document available which has definitions and notes on each of the data fields and it is recommended that this is used alongside the main data file as a reference.

All content is available under the Open Government License, unless otherwise stated.  More information on this license is available here.

Our Intelligence Team compile and manage the information within the Datastore.  For help using this or any queries relating to its content or use then please email us This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

You can find the latest datastore here. 

 

Datastore, year-end, are available below:


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Adults with incapacity

Part 4 of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 (the Act) allows care home managers to apply to the Care Inspectorate to manage money for service users in certain circumstances, these are:

  • that the service is an authorised establishment
  • the adult is a resident with incapacity
  • that the resident has less than £10,000 (usually)
  • the manager of home takes certain steps to manage finances
  • money is not derived from benefits.

AWI application form

This form is in two parts. It allows a manager of an authorised establishment to:

  1. Notify the Care Inspectorate that they intend to manage a resident’s financial affairs.
  2. Apply for a Certificate of Authority to withdraw and spend the resident’s funds.

Detailed information about managing residents’ finances is available in the Code of Practice for Managers under Part 4 of the Act (the Code)

As a result of the UK Government’s emergent Welfare Reform, references to a number of UK wide benefits identified within the codes have required to be up-dated.  

Appendix 1 of the codes refers to particular benefits which cannot be managed under the act. An update of some named benefits was necessary to reflect changes throughout the UK legislation.

In addition, some changes have been made to the examples of goods and services which can be purchased through the use of personal funds, as set out in Appendix 6.

It is very important that you have fully considered the code before completing this form. We need detailed information in order to be satisfied about the steps you have taken before reaching a decision to manage a resident’s finances. Once completed, please send this form to your local Care Inspectorate office with a Certificate of Incapacity completed by a medical practitioner.

You can download a copy of the application form here.

AWI Register

Instructions for use of the AWI Register for Managers

  • Click on AWI Register
  • Save and file to your computer/server
  • Add in the name of your service
  • Save copy
  • Enter information relating to the interventions in place under Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 in the appropriate page.
  • A DWP appointeeships section is included, should you wish to use this section.
  • Ensure that the most recent copy of the register is available for inspectors at inspection.

Change of manager where there are Certificates of Authority

When there is a change of manager, we should be informed as soon as is possible. The outgoing manager must ensure that the resident has sufficient funds in place while an application to vary the Certificate of Authority is made.  

The new manager must apply for a new Certificate of Authority using the specified form.

Download a copy of the application to vary form here.

Transfer/move of a resident with a Certificate of Authority to another care service

When a resident who has a Certificate of Authority moves from one care home to another, the manager must do the following:

  • inform the Care Inspectorate
  • inform the care home to which the resident is going
  • inform the local authority/care manager
  • check that the care home service to which they are moving is an Authorised Established and not Opted Out (see guidance on Opt Out)
  • inform the fund holder.

Managers’ continued involvement after resident moves/transfers 

When an incapable resident ceases to be in an authorised establishment, the manager of the establishment must continue to manage his/her affairs for an interim period of up to 3 months. This allows time for other arrangements, new certificate of authority to be applied for or the certificate to be revoked.  

The need for the manager to continue their role should be considered by the multi-disciplinary team overseeing he resident’s care planning.

The manager must provide the new care service with the resident’s financial records and statements, and return the Certificate of Authority once this is done. 

The manager of the service to which the resident has moved to must then make a new application for a Certificate of Authority.

Death of a resident where there is a Certificate of Authority

When a resident dies and there is a Certificate of Authority in place the manager must take the following steps:

  • notify the Care Inspectorate immediately
  • notify the fundholder
  • prepare a statement of accounts for the resident
  • return the Certificate of Authority along with the statement of accounts.

Procedure to be followed where a care home closes or registration is cancelled

Where a care home closes voluntarily or through enforcement action, and there are Certificates of Authority in place, the following must be done:

  • All Certificates of Authority must be returned to the Care Inspectorate.
  • The financial records and statements of the resident(s) must be forwarded to the new care home, where the resident is to be cared for.

Please refer to information above on the movement/transfer of residents where there is a Certificate of Authority. 

Guidance on the Payment of Fees to Doctors under Part 4 of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000

Under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 (the Act) doctors may carry out an assessment of an individual to assess capacity.

Capacity is defined within the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 as being incapable of:

  • acting; or
  • making decisions; or
  • communicating decisions; or
  • understanding decisions; or
  • retaining memory of decisions,

by reason of mental disorder or of an inability to communicate because of physical disability. Where a doctor has made an assessment of capacity, and deems that person not to have capacity, a certificate of incapacity will be issued under Part 4 of the Act. This certificate is valid for 3 years.

Fees

A fee may be charged by the doctor carrying out the assessment of capacity and this can be taken from the funds of the adult.

 

Useful Links

Scottish Government

Mental Welfare Commission

The Office of the Public Guardian 

 

 

 

 

 


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Workforce registration with SSSC

In April 2009, the Scottish Government passed Statutory Regulations about a phased programme of compulsory registration of key groups of social services workers in: residential child care, day care services for children, adult residential care, care at home and other support services and school care accommodation.  The Regulations state that once required registration commences for any group of workers, employers/providers must only employ registered workers in relevant posts and that any new recruits to these posts must achieve registration within six months of commencing employment.

This means that service providers will be committing an offence if, after the date of required registration, they employ or continue to employ, a worker in a service who is not registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) or another relevant regulatory body e.g. the General Teaching Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council.

The Care Inspectorate has to the responsibility for enforcing required registration on behalf of Government.  Where workers are not registered appropriately, the Care Inspectorate may make requirements, reflect non-registration in inspection reports and grades and even take enforcement action that could result in the cancellation of registration for care services.  The Care Inspectorate may also take steps to report the service provider to the Procurator Fiscal if necessary.

The Care Inspectorate will contact services on an ongoing basis as SSSC registration is required for parts of the social care workforce.  In addition, providers will be asked for information about their employees’ registration status through our annual return and this will inform our scrutiny activities such as inspection with each service.

When do I need to register?

Last Application date

Date of required registration

Workers in care home services for adults

Support workers

30 September 2014

30 September 2015

Workers in day care of children services

Workers in housing support services

Managers

31 July 2013

31 January 2014

Supervisors

To be announced

2017

Support workers

To be announced

To be announced

Workers in care at home services

Supervisors

To be announced

2017

Support workers

To be announced

2020

Remember, the Care Inspectorate does not register members of the workforce.  Any questions about registration of the workforce should be directed to the SSSC (www.sssc.uk.com) or by calling their helpline on 0345 60 30 891.

Guidance for social care workers applying can be found here.

Guidance for verifying and endorsing applications can be found here. 

 


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Protecting vulnerable groups scheme

Our existing Protecting Vulnerable Groups – Guidance for Care Inspectorate Staff and Service Providers advises that providers should seek updates on individual staff PVG Scheme membership every three years.

This is not a requirement of Disclosure Scotland but rather our advice for safe recruitment good practice.

Where someone has previously only been a member of the PVG scheme for children and will now be working with vulnerable adults (or the other way round) an application to join the appropriate scheme must still be made.

If you have any questions in relation to this please contact your inspector.

 In February 2011, the Scottish Government introduced a new membership scheme to replace and improve upon the current disclosure arrangements for people who work with vulnerable groups.

The Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme (PVG Scheme) will:

  • Help to ensure that those who have regular contact with children and protected adults through paid and unpaid work do not have a known history of harmful behaviour.
  • Be quicker and easier to use, reducing the need for PVG Scheme members to complete a detailed application form every time a disclosure check is required.
  • Strike a balance between proportionate protection and robust regulation and make it easier for employers to determine who they should check to protect their client group.

The PVG Scheme is managed and delivered by Disclosure Scotland.

The Care Inspectorate, as a scrutiny body, has the following duties:

  • Ensure that we are satisfied about the fitness of providers and managers of registered services.
  • Ensure that providers of services implement the PVG scheme appropriately as part of the safe recruitment of the managers and staff of care services
  • Ensure that we use our power to refer providers and supply information required by DS appropriately.

Read our guidance that sets out how we will achieve these duties and what we expect from providers of care services.

Referrals for consideration to Dislcosure Soctland

For this scheme to work successfully, it is necessary for organisations to pass information to Disclosure Scotland where they consider that an individual may not be suitable to do regulated work so that this can be properly evaluated and appropriate action taken.  Referrals can be made to Disclosure Scotland by employers and regulatory bodies such as the Care Inspectorate. These referrals will then be considered by Disclosure who will assess whether the individual should be barred from regulated work.

Read our guidance to find out more about refererals, consideration for listing, risk assessment and determinations.


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