As an applicant for the Early Years Register you’ll have to jump through a number of potentially time-consuming hoops. Initially, you could contact your local authority who can provide lots of helpful information and advice but then, as a first step, you and any other individuals connected with the application must complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check online.
Ofsted will, in addition, carry out a check with the local authority children’s services department to see if you, or others connected with the registration, are known to them in connection with care orders or other information that might bring into doubt your suitability to work, or be in regular contact, with children.
Next, as part of your online application, you will be required to consent to Ofsted carrying out further checks on both you and any other connected individuals, including a health check and checks on premises and equipment. If, during the course of these checks, Ofsted has concerns about your suitability, registration will be refused unless those concerns can be resolved to Ofsted’s satisfaction. As you might imagine, all of this checking takes time.