Types of childcare in the Vale of Glamorgan:

• Day nurseries for under fives during the working day
• Childminders for children of any age in the childminder’s home
• Playgroups for children between two and five for a couple of hours in the morning or afternoon (some playgroups provide wraparound care for the day)
• Cylchoedd Meithrin for children between two and five through the medium of Welsh
• Out of school clubs care for over threes usually before and after school and during the school holidays
• Nannies, au pairs and approved home child carers are employed to provide care in the child’s own home

Is your childcare registered?

Anyone who provides childcare for children under the age of 12 for more than two hours a day, outside the child’s home, for reward, must be registered with the CSSIW. The CSSIW will inspect the childcare setting and will check that:

• All staff have a Disclosure and Barring Scheme (DBS) police check
• The setting will have public liability insurance, a child protection policy and other policies and procedures 

All registered childcare settings have to meet the National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare for children up to the age of 12 years. You can download a copy from the CSSIW website:

 National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare for children up to the age of 12 years

If your childcare setting is not registered with the CSSIW, you should still check whether they have public liability insurance, the policies listed above and staff have a DBS check. Here is a list of questions you should ask the setting:

Nannies and au pairs don’t need to be registered with the CSSIW. However, they can become approved home child carers  with the CSSIW. Families will then be able to claim help with childcare costs through Working Tax Credits and childcare vouchers:

Childcare Approval Scheme

Choosing childcare

The CSSIW has provided advice and tips of what to look for when you are choosing a childcare setting:

You can read CSSIW inspection reports for childcare settings from the CSSIW website. However, for childminders, you will need to contact CSSIW to request a copy: 

• 0300 7900 126
• cssiw.southeast@wales.gsi.gov.uk
• CSSIW website

Please be aware that if you do not use registered or approved childcare, you will not be able to receive help with childcare costs in the form of tax credits and childcare vouchers.

The Welsh Government has produced a series of booklets about choosing childcare:

Childminders in the Vale of Glamorgan

Childminders are childcare providers who work in their own homes caring for children and are community based. All childminders must be registered with the CSSIW. They can offer flexible childcare as they can drop off children at school and pick them up and some will work evenings and weekends.

You can download a copy of the 'Home from Home' leaflet, produced by NCMA (now PACEY) for more information about childminders:

Day nurseries, playgroups and Cylchoedd Meithrin in the Vale of Glamorgan

Visit our page to find out more information on what’s available in the Vale:

Babysitters

Babysitters do not need qualifications or certificates and it is recommended they are over 16. Even with family and friends, you should establish rules and let them know about any allergies and have an emergency contact number. We do not keep details of local babysitters but we do hold details of some babysitting agencies. Search our Childcare, Children and Young People's Activities Directory:

Childcare, Children and Young People's Activities

Help with childcare costs

For information on help with childcare costs, visit our pages on Financial Help:

Financial help with childcare costs