The Quality Framework for Wales draws together the various requirements for delivering the type of high-quality provision needed in Wales.

Using the Quality Framework should ensure you offer well-evidenced, well-informed and successful approaches to early childhood play, learning and care and help you to actively reflect on and continuously improve practice to better support all babies and children.

Hwb - A Quality Framework for Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care in Wales 

Here you will find resources and guidance for childcare, play settings and schools on early childhood play, learning and care for 0 to 5 year olds in Wales.

The early years play a significant role in childhood as well as in shaping our futures.

To ensure that all children aged 0 to 5 years have the best possible start in life, the Welsh Government have decided to place children’s well-being and development at the heart of early childhood play, learning and care in Wales.

Hwb - Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care in Wales 

When inspectors visit a childcare service, they will consider four core themes: 

1. Well-being,
2. Care and Development,
3. Environment,
4. Leadership and Management.

There are two types of inspections: full and focused.

• Full inspections
  These are routine inspections, planned as part of the inspection schedule.
  Full inspections take place approximately six months after a newly registered service becomes operational.
  After that, full day care services get inspected at least once every two years.
  Other childcare services, for example, child minders, sessional day care, open access play, crèches and out of school care - at least once in every three years.
• Focused inspections
  These normally happen when concerns are raised or to follow up on areas of improvement identified at previous inspections.
  These inspections may only look at some aspects of a service.

All inspections are unannounced, however for child minders and open access play, CIW will normally telephone you one week before they intend to inspect. This is to check your availability and operating times. 

Care Inspectorate Wales - Our Inspections 

Care Inspectorate Wales - Childcare, Play and Open Access Inspection and Ratings Provider Guidance 

Do you provide Early Entitlement? Here are the key reasons for inspection:

• To evaluate the quality and standards of education and training.
• To identify strengths and areas for improvement.
• To support providers in their journey towards excellence.
• To inform parents, carers, and the wider community about the quality of education provided.

Here you can find out more information about Estyn inspections and some recently inspected settings.

Estyn - Non-maintained Nurseries Information 

High quality early years, childcare and playwork provision, goes beyond basic expectations, continually reflecting and improving to offer the best possible experiences and opportunities for children and families in Wales. Providers can demonstrate high quality by: 

• Continuously looking to exceed requirements of NMS.
• Achieving a rating of good or better for each of the four inspection themes, this is an indication of high quality.
• Evidencing exemplar practice.
• Implementing additional sector endorsed quality assurance and improvement tools e.g. the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Quality Framework and local authority and sector organisation quality schemes.

High quality is something which should thread through all aspects of a service. There are opportunities to demonstrate quality across all of the NMS.

Care Inspectorate Wales - National Minimum Standards 

What is a SASS? Each year you are required legally to complete a Self Assessment of Service Statement (SASS) and a review of the quality of care at your service.

Why do you have to complete it? The information that is gathered helps inspectors to plan their inspections and to provide the right help and support to those that need it most.

Care Inspectorate Wales - Information About Completing Your SASS