Childcare Act 2006

Chapter 1 General functions of Chief Inspector

31 General functions of the Chief Inspector

(1) The Chief Inspector has the general duty of keeping the Secretary of State informed about—

(a) the contribution of regulated early years provision in England to the well-being of children for whom it is provided;

(b) the quality and standards of regulated early years provision in England;

(c) how far regulated early years provision in England meets the needs of the range of children for whom it is provided;

(d) the quality of leadership and management in connection with regulated early years provision in England.

(2) In subsection (1), “regulated early years provision” means early years provision in respect of which a person is required to be registered under Chapter 2 or in respect of which he would be required to be registered under that Chapter but for section 34(2) (exemption for provision for children aged 3 or over at certain schools).

(3) When asked to do so by the Secretary of State, the Chief Inspector must give advice to the Secretary of State on such matters relating to early years provision or later years provision in England as may be specified in the Secretary of State’s request.

(4) The Chief Inspector may at any time give advice to the Secretary of State on any matter connected with—

(a) early years provision or later years provision in England generally, or

(b) early years provision or later years provision in England by particular persons or on particular premises.

(5) The Chief Inspector is to have such other functions in connection with early years provision or later years provision in England as may be assigned to him by the Secretary of State.

32 Maintenance of the two childcare registers

(1) The Chief Inspector must maintain two registers.

(2) The first register (“the early years register”) is to be a register of all persons who are registered as early years childminders or other early years providers under Chapter 2 (which provides for the compulsory registration of persons providing early years provision).

(3) The second register (“the general childcare register”) is to be divided into two Parts.

(4) The first Part (“Part A”) is to be a register of all persons who are registered as later years childminders or other later years providers under Chapter 3 (which provides for the compulsory registration of persons providing later years provision for children under the age of eight).

(5) The second Part (“Part B”) is to be a register of all persons who are registered as childminders or other childcare providers under Chapter 4 (which provides for the voluntary registration of persons providing early years provision or later years provision in respect of which they are not required to be registered under Chapter 2 or 3).