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Birth - 5 yrs 2026.07.20_PA_EarlyYrs_A4_HighRes

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Birth To 5 Matters – Guidance by the sector, for the sector

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Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework - Childminders Sept 2026 

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Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework - Childminders Sept 2026 

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Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework - group and school based providers Sept 2026

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Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework - group and school based providers Sept 2026

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There are things that can cause your baby’s airway (breathing tube) to fold, narrow or block. Learn about keeping your baby safe…

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🌿 Stick Man Summer Holiday Activity Ideas

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Cumberland Safeguarding Children - safer sleep

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Cumberland Safeguarding Children - safer sleep

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Sadly, around four babies a week die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and if all parents were aware of safer sleep advice, many of these babies lives could be saved.

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Foundation Years - Latest news, policy and resources for early years professionals

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Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): Safer sleep requirements – Frequently Asked Question - Foundation Years

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Why is the Department for Education amending the sleeping arrangements section of the EYFS? The safety of our youngest children is our utmost priority and we continually monitor and review safeguarding requirements for early years settings to make sure children are kept as safe as possible. Tragically, there have been cases of children dying from

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Letter from Minister for Early Education

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Letter from Minister for Early Education

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Safer Sleep Week is The Lullaby Trust’s national awareness campaign, raising awareness of safer sleep for babies.

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Help for early years providers : Safer sleep

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This article was written by the Department of Education in collaboration with The Lullaby Trust.

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📦 Cardboard Box Activities for SEND in Early Years

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National Year of Reading and the World Cup (football fun)

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National Year of Reading and the World Cup (football fun)

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The babyNENE Toolkit (Nature Engaging and Nature Enhancing)

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The babyNENE Toolkit (Nature Engaging and Nature Enhancing)

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Toolkit

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Advice - safest place for babies to sleep (poster)

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Advice - safest place for babies to sleep (poster)

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The Potty Training Guide - Starting Reception

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Potty training is an important milestone in your child’s development. We understand that all children develop at their own pace, but research shows it’s best for your child’s bowel and bladder health to stop using nappies, including reusable nappies, pull ups and training pants, between 18 and 30 months.

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My Early Years SEN Support Plan_parents guide

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Writing SMART targets_a guide for practitioners

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My Early Years SEN Support Plan_guidance for EY practitioners

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Using our senses to carry out everyday activities.

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We believe that human beings thrive when we can live as fully in our bodies as we do in our heads and in our increasingly sedentary culture this takes some thought - and some new ideas.

We focus on what it takes to develop a confident, skilled, comfortable and expressive body, from the get-go, for a lifetime, and how this supports all learning and wellbeing.

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Welcome to Jabadao | Physical development and wellbeing

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We believe that human beings thrive when we can live as fully in our bodies as we do in our heads and in our increasingly sedentary culture this takes some thought - and some new ideas.

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Recycling Activities Around Michael Recycle

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We're Going on a Nature Hunt 3-4 yr olds

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We're Going on a Nature Hunt 3-4 yr olds

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We're Going on a Nature Hunt - 2 yr olds

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We're Going on a Nature Hunt - 2 yr olds

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Parent Flyer for 'We're going on a nature hunt'

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Parent Flyer for 'We're going on a nature hunt'

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Communication Observation Tool and Resource Pack

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Communication Observation Tool and Resource Pack

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All About my Communication Observation Tool + Resource Pack

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Advice and Support Sessions (now recorded and available on You Tube)

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Advice and Support Sessions (now recorded and available on You Tube)

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DRAFT Complete Advice & Support Session Recording Links

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Early Years Ordinarily Available Provision - supporting children with SEND in Early Years

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Early Years Ordinarily Available Provision - supporting children with SEND in Early Years

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Ordinarily available provision - supporting children with SEND in Early Years

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Ordinarily Available Provision - supporting children with SEND in Early Years

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Ordinarily Available Provision - supporting children with SEND in Early Years

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Ordinarily available provision - supporting children with SEND in Early Years

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Help for early years providers : EYFS profile assessment support

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Thinking about becoming a registered childminder

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Thinking about becoming a registered childminder

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Thinking About Becoming a Registered Childminders Leaflet

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You must register with Ofsted or a childminder agency to look after children in your home. There's a list of childminder agencies you can register with.

Registering as a childminder with Ofsted

You will need:

Ofsted will reject your application if you do not have the correct documents.

Checks on other people in your home

You must tell Ofsted about new adults in the home where childcare takes place. This applies if they:

This includes a child of yours already living in the home who turns 16.

If anyone aged 16 or over lives with you or works in your home regularly, they'll need to get an enhanced DBS check with barred lists.

The type of check they get depends on their role. For example, your partner would need to get a different check from someone who works in your home, such as a cleaner.

They'll also need to get a certificate of good character from an embassy if they've lived abroad in the last 5 years.

If you're helping someone else with their application

Data protection regulations mean we cannot share information about an application status with anyone except the childminder.

How much it costs

It usually costs £35 to register with Ofsted. This fee is not refundable.

Find out about other costs.

How long it takes

It usually takes up to 12 weeks to process your application.

Register online

It should take you about 30 minutes to fill in the form.
Register as a childminder

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How to register as a childminder or nanny: the Ofsted Childcare Register, the Early Years Register, who can register, how to apply.

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Nurturing Nutrition Vodcast - Foundation Years

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Nurturing Nutrition Vodcast - Foundation Years

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Useful tips and links What's in their lunch handout 2025

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Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): Food Brought in from Home - FAQ's

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Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): Food Brought in from Home - FAQ's

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Foundation Years - Latest news, policy and resources for early years professionals

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Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): Food Brought in from Home – Frequently Asked Questions - Foundation Years

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This blog post answers some of the most frequently asked questions about food brought in from home in EYFS settings. You can also view this in a PDF document here. Q: Does the nutrition guidance apply to food brought from home? A: Working alongside parents and/or carers is essential to ensuring children are provided with

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Early Years Developmental Journal Guidance

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The special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) Local Offer is the central information point for families with children and young people aged up to 25 years with SEND.

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The total amount of liquid that a child needs varies depending on their age, size, activity levels and environment. Hot weather, getting lots of exercise and being overweight all mean children need to drink more.

Good drinking habits are important for concentration levels. It also helps to promote good bladder health, helps to prevent urinary tract infections (UTI) and constipation.

If your child doesn't like drinking plain water, then dilute squash or fruit juice is fine.

Feeling thirsty can't be relied on as a sign that children need to drink. This is because their thirst 'cue' may not be well developed. Or, they have reduced awareness of this sensation particularly if they have an additional need. Get more tips on toileting and children's sensory needs.

Baby's bladders

The amount your baby needs to wee can vary. Some babies urinate every one to three hours and others between four to six times a day.

When a baby is poorly with a high temperature for example, or it's hot weather, their usual output of urine may drop by half and still be normal.

The colour of their wee can vary from very clear to dark yellow.

Once you baby is fully weaned (eating solid food) it's important they start to have their drinks in a regular pattern throughout the day. For example, encourage a drink with every meal and also another drink midway between meals.

This regular fluid intake also helps with potty training.

How often should children wee?

School aged children (5 and over) should empty their bladders between 4 and 7 times a day, or every 2/2.5 hours approx.

Younger children need to wee more frequently. Their smaller bladders hold about 120mls of urine at 3 years and this increases in capacity by about 30mls a year. However, their kidneys produce urine at the same rate as older children's kidneys (about 60mls an hour).

It's common for children under 5 to get the message that their bladder needs emptying at a later stage. This means they need to use the toilet more often and at shorter notice.

As children get older, and if their bladder is working well, they become aware of the need to pass urine before the bladder is full, giving them more time use the toilet at convenient intervals; such as at school break time.

Common bladder problems

Wee accidents are very common when children are potty training. However, if leaks are still happening over the age of 5 years, you should book an appointment with a doctor so it can be looked into.

There are different types of urinary incontinence:

Doing lots of small wees (frequency) and/or needing to rush to the toilet (urgency). This is often called 'bladder overactivity'.

Daytime wetting - damp pants or full bladder empty

Finding it hard to relax on the toilet and fully empty their bladder

Structural problems with the bladder usually from birth, such as bladder exstrophy or if the ureters connect to the bladder in the wrong place.

Other conditions such as Spina Bifida which affect a small number of children from birth. This means the messages between the bladder and brain don't work properly so children don't recognise the need to wee. Get more information on complex bladder conditions and how they can be managed.

Night time accidents (bedwetting) are common in children who also have daytime problems. If your child wets the bed and also has accidents in the daytime, this need to be investigated and treated first.

Causes of children's incontinence

Here are some of the different things that can affect the way a child's bladder works:

Most bladder issues in children will be caused by a functional problem. This means everything in your child's bladder is in the right place and should be able to work properly.

Underlying constipation is a common cause of bladder issues and needs to be ruled out. A full bowel can affect the space that the bladder needs to fill and empty properly. Read our factsheet Advice for Children with Constipation for information on how to treat poo problems.

A urinary tract infection (UTI) can make peeing painful and urine smell. UTIs are common in children who have underlying constipation.

Children with additional needs such as autism are more likely to be affected by constipation which can then cause problems with their bladder. They may also find it difficult to recognise thirst due to a sensory processing difference.

Wee accidents are very common when children are potty training and learning how to manage their bladder. They usually clear up once your child goes to school.

If children don't drink enough, their wee can become concentrated. This can irritate their bladder and make it empty when it shouldn't.

Certain drinks can also irritate the bladder such as certain dark-coloured squashes and drinks containing caffeine (cola, energy drinks, hot chocolate etc).

Putting off going to toilet when you need to go ('holding on') makes it more likely an accident will happen.

How to treat incontinence in children

If you think your child has a bladder problem, book an appointment with your GP. They should assess your child and discuss possible treatment.

The doctor should examine your child and ask questions to find out if the bladder problems could be caused by an underlying condition. This is rare, but it is important to check.

Most bladder conditions can be sorted out by following some simple steps which are often described as 'bladder training.'

It is important to remember that children don't have accidents on purpose. They're not caused by laziness or naughtiness.

Try to praise your child for any efforts they make to becoming dry, such as increasing the amount they drink each day.

Take a look at our factsheet Advice for Children with Daytime Bladder Problems for more information on the causes, treatments and bladder training tips.

How to spot an overactive bladder

The bladder is supposed to stay soft and stretchy whilst it's filling and until you get to the toilet. However, some children have an overactive or 'twitchy' bladder.

This means:

A child's bladder signals that it's time to do a wee before the bladder is full. This means the bladder muscles contract before they are ready to empty.

Because of this, you child will go to the toilet more often than other kids their age. They may find it hard to hold on until they get there and even leak urine on the way to the toilet.

Children often do a 'wee dance' or hold themselves as an automatic response to the messages from the bladder, without realising this is what is happening.

What is the main cause of overactive bladder?

Bladder overactivity is one of the most common causes of daytime bladder and wetting problems in children. It can happen for a number of different reasons including:

Being constipated. A full bowel can squash the bladder and make it hard to fill and hold on to wee. Constipation can then cause frequency, urgency and bladder infections.

Not drinking enough. If you are not drinking enough your wee will be dark yellow in colour and very strong. Strong wee can irritate the lining of the bladder and make the twitching worse.

The wrong drinks. Fizzy drinks and drinks with caffeine in them irritate the lining of the bladder. Tea, coffee, cola, hot chocolate and energy drinks all contain caffeine. If the bladder lining is irritated then the bladder twitching will get worse. This means your child will need to go to the toilet more often and have more wetting accidents.

Not getting to the toilet in time. If you 'hold on' for too long, instead of going to the toilet when you feel you need to wee you are more likely to have a wetting accident.

Urinary tract infections (UTI) can make you need to go to the toilet more often than usual and have to get there quickly.

Can an overactive bladder be cured?

Yes, bladder overactivity can be treated successfully and the bladder can start working normally.

There are several treatment options depending on the cause of the overactivity. Some of these may be used in combination.

Children's UTI symptoms

Urinary tract infections can also cause bladder frequency and urgency. This means your child is more likely to need the toilet in a rush and not always get there on time.

The signs your child could have an infection in their bladder include:

Doing lots of small wees more often than usual

Needing to rush to the toilet urgently

Daytime accidents and bedwetting

Their wee might be smelly and/or cloudy

Your child may complain of tummy ache or stingy wee. They may also have a high temperature.

They may not seem ill however, so you wouldn't guess your child had a UTI.

How to treat children's UTI

If you think your child has a UTI, book an appointment with your doctor or nurse. There is a simple urine test that can be done to confirm an infection.

If an infection is found, they may need to take antibiotics to clear it up.

Some children need to stay on antibiotics until well after the UTI is better to help stop the infection coming back. A healthcare professional can explain more about this and do further tests if they think it's necessary.

It's really important to make sure your child changes their pants if they're wet. Sore, damp skin can make UTIs more likely.

FAQs

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Children's bladder health: bladder problems and incontinence - ERIC

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Needing a wee all the time, having to rush to the toilet, damp pants or bedwetting accidents - wee problems are a nuisance, and they're embarrassing. Sorting them out can be as simple as thinking about what your child is drinking.

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Parent Information - World Book Day without dressing up

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Parent Information - World Book Day without dressing up

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Parent Info 🌟 World Book Day Without Dressing Up

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World Book Day Ideas - No dressing up required!

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World Book Day Ideas - No dressing up required!

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Speech, language and communication tools

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Speech, language and communication tools

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Speech, language and communication tools

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Screening Tools providing a short assessment of a child’s developing speech, language and communication skills.

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Ready, Steady, Potty: Advice for families

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Ready, Steady, Potty: Advice for families

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Ready, Steady, Potty: Advice for families

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Templates and Resources (request for involvement forms on Local Offer)

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Templates and Resources (request for involvement forms on Local Offer)

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Templates and resources for SEND Professionals.

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EY SEN Inclusion Funding Guidance (SENIF)

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EY SEN Inclusion Funding Guidance (SENIF)

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Early Years Special Educational Needs Inclusion Funding (SENIF) Guidance

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Helping children and young people with physical difficulties do the things that they want and need to be able to do.

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Activity ideas for storytelling using loose parts

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Activity ideas for storytelling using loose parts

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National Storytelling Week activity ideas

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More book ideas for loose parts storytelling

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More book ideas for loose parts storytelling

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More activity ideas storytelling and loose parts

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Telling Stories in Early Years - guidance document for practitioners

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Telling Stories in Early Years - guidance document for practitioners

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Telling stories in early years | National Literacy Trust

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Early years teachers and practitioners, try out our storytelling resource and support children to explore their creativity, try out new vocabulary and build confidence in speaking.

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Cumberland Professional's Guide - Toilet Training

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Cumberland Professional's Guide - Toilet Training

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Cumberland Professional's Guide - Toilet Training pdf

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Reception - DfE webinars including: The importance of early maths & Embedding a language rich environment and supporting early writing

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Reception - DfE webinars including: The importance of early maths & Embedding a language rich environment and supporting early writing

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Grow and Learn with Me - full A5 booklet

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Grow and Learn with Me - full A5 booklet

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Grow and Learn - Taking care of your children's teeth

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Grow and Learn - Taking care of your children's teeth

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Taking Care of Your Child’s Teeth - Family Hub 2026

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Looking After Yourself - Family Hub 2026

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Grow and Learn - Helping your child feel loved and secure

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Grow and Learn - Helping your child feel loved and secure

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Helping your child feel loved and secure - Family Hub 2026

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Grow and Learn - Exploring out and about

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Grow and Learn - Exploring out and about

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Exploring out and about - Family Hub 2026

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Emotions and Behaviour - Family Hub 2026