Last updated: April 2026
Overview
The 2-year-old progress check is one of the most important things you'll do as a childminder. It's your opportunity to take a step back, reflect on where a child is in their development, celebrate their strengths, and spot anything that might need a little extra support early enough to make a real difference. This article explains what the check is, when and how to do it, what to include, and what happens after you've completed it.
What is the 2-year-old progress check?
The 2-year-old progress check is a short written summary of a child's development that you must complete for every child in your care between the ages of 2 and 3. It's a statutory requirement under the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage), it's not optional, and not just good practice.
The check should give a clear picture of the child's development across the three prime areas of learning:
Communication and Language
Physical Development
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
It should identify the child's strengths, note any areas where their progress is less than expected for their age, and (where needed) flag any concerns that may point to a special educational need or disability (SEND).
When should the check be completed?
The check must be completed between a child's second and third birthday. In practice, once you've had enough time to get to know the child well (typically after around six weeks in your setting) you should be in a good position to complete it.
Don't wait too close to their third birthday. Completing it earlier gives parents and other professionals more time to act on any concerns and put support in place if it's needed.
If a child joins near their third birthday: If a child starts with you having already turned 3 and hasn't had a 2-year check completed, ask parents whether they've had any discussion with their health visitor. With parental permission, you may also want to contact the health visitor directly. In this case, completing a starting points assessment after around six weeks in your setting would be the recommended approach, gathering as much information as you can from the parents in the meantime. |
What should the check cover?
A good 2-year-old progress check should:
Give a brief summary of the child's development in each of the three prime areas
Highlight the child's strengths and what they enjoy
Note any areas where their development may be slower or more uneven than expected
Include any concerns you have and any actions that have been taken or are planned
Be written in language that is meaningful and accessible to parents
The check is not a formal assessment or test. It's a professional judgement based on your knowledge of the child, your observations, and conversations with their family. Your regular observations and learning journal entries in the tiney app will be a really valuable source of evidence when you sit down to write it.
How do I complete the check?
You can download the 2-year-old progress check template from the tiney app. Go to Learning > Resources > Templates and Forms, where you'll also find a sample completed document to help you see what a good check looks like in practice.
The check is currently completed offline. You fill in the template and share it directly with the child's family.
Involving parents
Parents are your most important partners in completing the 2-year-old check. Before you write it, take the time to have a proper conversation with the family about how their child is getting on, both at home and in your setting. Parents often know things about their child's development that can be really valuable context, and their perspective should genuinely inform what you write.
Once you've completed the check, share it with the child's parents. Walk them through it, and make sure they have the opportunity to ask questions or share their own views. The check should feel like something done with families, not to them.
Sharing the check with the health visitor
As part of the integrated review, your 2-year-old progress check should ideally be shared with the child's health visitor, so it can be considered alongside the health visitor's own 2-year review of the child. This joined-up approach means that any developmental concerns are picked up from multiple angles and that families get coordinated support.
What if the child doesn't have a health visitor? This does happen occasionally. If a child in your care doesn't currently have a health visitor assigned, speak to the parents to find out whether they've had any contact with their local health visiting service, and encourage them to make contact. You can still complete the progress check as normal and keep a copy on file. |
What if you have concerns?
If the 2-year-old progress check identifies concerns about a child's development, don't wait. Act on them. The earlier concerns are picked up and support is put in place, the better the outcomes for the child.
Practically, this might mean:
Having an honest and sensitive conversation with parents about what you've noticed
Seeking advice from your Local Authority's Early Years SEND team
Making a referral to a relevant professional (e.g. speech and language therapy) with parental permission
Putting an individual action plan in place for the child
As the SENCO of your setting, identifying and acting on developmental concerns is central to your role. You don't need to have all the answers, but you do need to take concerns seriously and involve the right people. If you'd like support navigating any of this, tiney's team is here to help. See also our SEND help centre article for more detail on making referrals and accessing support.
The check and your QA visit
Your approach to the 2-year-old progress check (and how you use it to support children's development) is something your consultant will be interested in at your Quality Assessment (QA) visit. They'll want to see that you understand the purpose of the check, that you're completing it within the right timeframe, and that you're using it as a genuine tool to support children and work in partnership with families.
Having your completed checks on file, along with evidence of any conversations or actions taken as a result, will help you demonstrate this confidently.
Resources and support
2-year-old progress check template: download from the tiney app- Learning > Resources > Templates and Forms. A sample completed document is also available to use as a reference.
SEND support: if the check raises any developmental concerns, see our SEND help centre article for guidance on referrals, funding, and the support available to you.
SEND Big Conversation: tiney's bi-monthly community session is a great place to ask questions about child development and SEND. Previous recordings are available in the CPD section of the app.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the 2-year-old progress check (whether it's when to complete it, what to include, or what to do if you have concerns) please reach out to the Quality team at quality@tiney.co or post a question in the tiney Community Hub.