Areas Covered: Berkshire, Surrey, Hampshire. Ascot, Bagshot, Bisley, Binfield, Blackwater, Bracknell, Brookwood, Camberley, Cheapside, Chobham, Crowthorne, Datchet, Deepcut, Egham, Englefield Green, Farnborough, Finchampstead, Fleet, Forest Park, Frimley, Frogmore, Gardeners Green, G Horsell, Knaphill, Lightwater, Little Sandhurst, Lyne, Martin's Heron, North Ascot, Old Windsor, Owlsmoor, Sandhurst, South Ascot, Stroude, Sunningdale, Sunninghill, Valley End, Virginia Water, Warfield Park, Wentworth, Windlesham, Windsor, Winkfield, Winkfield Row, Yateley Postcodes: GU11 GU12 GU13 GU14 GU15 GU16 GU17 GU18 GU19 GU20 GU21 GU22 GU24 GU25 GU46 GU47 GU51 GU52 SL4 SL5 RG29 RG42

Out-of-school childcare services that provide care for the under-eights more than two hours a day must be registered and will be regularly inspected by Government regulatory bodies Ofsted.

An after school club
is a place for children to go after the school day has finished but office hours haven't, usually from around 3.30pm to 6pm. The club may be in your child's school, another local school or different premises altogether. Sometimes playworkers will transfer children from the school to the club. Fun and relaxing activities, such as games, sports or art and crafts are provided for children under the care of the playworkers.

A breakfast club is a place where children can be dropped off before school and enjoy breakfast together.

A holiday playscheme operates in the school holidays and offers groups of children a range of organised activities, from art and crafts to outings. They are usually open between 8.30am to 6pm.

An after school club, breakfast club or playscheme which caters for under-eights for more than two hours a day will be registered and regularly inspected

Preschools are registered by the Government regulatory bodies and are inspected every year. Half the staff must be trained and some may be qualified teachers. They'll offer lots of opportunities for children to learn through play, and most offer a Government-approved early years curriculum.

Daily nanny - comes to your house each day at hours agreed between you. · Live-in nanny - lives in your house. You'll therefore need to provide a private bedroom and food - around 20 per cent of nannies in the UK live in. ·    Nanny share - works for another family as well as yours. Your nanny may look after your child on certain days and other people's children on other days, or may look after both sets of children together (if another family comes to your house you'll need to check your insurance arrangements).

A childminder is self-employed and has to be registered with the appropriate Government regulatory bodies. When registered, a childminder is checked for references, training, police record and health, and their home is inspected to make sure it's a safe and suitable environment for children. After registration, a childminder is checked every one to three years to ensure they're continuing to provide a safe and suitable service. All childminders in England and Wales (although not yet in Scotland and Northern Ireland) are required to complete a basic registration course, including first aid training. They may also have other childcare qualifications (eg, an NVQ in Early Years Care and Education, a vocational qualification at Level 3). Ages covered A childminder may look after children of any age from babies to teenagers, but registration regulations only apply to care provided for children under the age of eight.

What's a day nursery? A day nursery has to be registered with the Government regulatory bodies and is inspected every year. At least half the staff must be qualified in an early years discipline. Day nurseries vary in size, but most take between 25 and 40 children. Children are usually grouped together according to age and will almost certainly follow a Government-approved early years curriculum. There are different types of day nursery, including: ·          Private - independent businesses providing full daycare. ·   

A day nursery will be registered and inspected regularly. It's set up for the safety, care and education of young children. It will probably fit in well with your work or study hours. It's usually open all year (although some close for short periods). Your child will be cared for by experienced carers ·Your child will have an appropriate and structured learning programme.  Your child will be among children of her own age Cons. Your child may be cared for by several carers, although most nurseries operate a 'key worker' system, whereby each child is assigned to a particular member of staff ·Your child won't be in her own home ·

An au pair or mother's help can help with light housework, taking and collecting children from school, or looking after them for short periods after school. ·An au pair or mother's help is a 'built-in' babysitter, although you must agree terms and conditions for this beforehand. Don't expect them to babysit for more than two or three nights a week. An au pair can help your child understand another culture.