Under the Early Years Foundation Stage, Childminders must provide parents with details of their complaints procedures.

The Welfare Requirement on page 23 of the Statutory Framework of the Early Years Foundation Stage states, "The Provider must take necessary steps to safeguard and promote the welfare of children"

Any written complaint relating to the welfare requirement must be investigated by the childminder and they have to notify the complainants within 28 days of the outcome of the investigation. A written record of complaints must be kept.

On request, Ofsted must be provided with a written record of all complaints made during any specific periods and the action taken.

While the Welfare Requirement states that a written procedure must be in place for dealing with complaints, it also confirms (as a footnote) that childminders are not required to have written policies and procedures

However, it is good practice to have written policies and procedures to ensure consistency and accuracy when explaining policies to parents.

You need to consider:

• What are your arrangements are for sharing your complaints procedures with parents?
• How you will provide a copy of the procedure to any parent who requests one?
• To which welfare requirement(s) the complaint relates?
• How you will investigate the complaint?
• How you will inform parents - within 28 days - of the findings of your investigation and any action you have taken, or propose to take, as a result of the complaint and how you will record the complaint and any action taken?
• How to provide Ofsted, on request, with a written record of all complaints made during any specified period, and the action which was taken as a result of each complaint?
• How you will ensure that Ofsted's contact details are available to parents and that parents know they can make a complaint to Ofsted if they wish to do so - it is good practice to display the Ofsted poster titled &Parents´ as this gives parents the contact number and website details for Ofsted. The poster can be downloaded from the Ofsted website. www.ofsted.gov.uk please type Poster in the Search box.

• the welfare requirement(s) to which the complaint relates
• the nature of the complaint
• how you dealt with the complaint
• any actions you have taken or propose to take as a result of your findings
• whether the parent has been provided with an account of the findings, and any action taken, within 28 days of the date on which the complaint was made.

Ensure that you keep accurate date records of every step in any complaint procedure.

Finally the records should be kept for at least 3 years.

Please note the requirements for the Childcare Register (compulsory and voluntary) are slightly different and can be found in the Ofsted document - Requirements for the Childcare Register: childminder and home carers is as follows:

CR7.1- Childminder must have a written statement of procedures to be followed in relation to complaints which relate to the requirements of the Childcare Register and which a parent makes in writing or by email.

CR7.2 to CR7 .6 continues to detail the requirements.