Last updated: April 2026
Overview
As a tiney childminder, you're responsible for keeping certain records as part of your registration. Some are required by the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) framework, and some are tiney requirements to help keep you, your setting, and the children in your care safe and well-supported.
This article breaks down what's mandatory, what's optional but recommended, and where to keep everything.
Mandatory records, what you must have
These are the records you are required to keep under the EYFS and/or as part of your tiney registration. You'll be checked on these at your Quality Assessment (QA) visit, so it's important to make sure they're all in place and up to date.
Policies and procedures
The following policies are mandatory for all tiney childminders. They need to be uploaded to the tiney app as PDFs and shared with parents:
Accident and Incident Policy
Attendance Policy
Complaints Policy
Medicine Policy
Lost Child Policy
Supporting and Understanding Children's Behaviour Policy
Failure to Collect Policy
Example Risk Assessment
Safeguarding Policy
Sick Child Policy
Emergency Evacuation Plan
If you work with assistants or co-minders, you also need a Whistleblowing Policy (only required if you work with others, not mandatory for sole childminders).
Tip: Policies must be uploaded as PDFs in the tiney app. If you're working from a Word document, export it as a PDF before uploading. Policy templates are available in the resources section of the app. |
Child records (Child Passport)
For each child in your care, you must hold the following information. You can record and manage this via the Child Passport in the tiney app:
Full name and date of birth
Name and address of every parent and/or carer known to you
Information about any other person who has parental responsibility for the child
Which parent(s) and/or carer(s) the child normally lives with
Emergency contact details for parents and/or carers
Attendance register
You are required by the EYFS to keep accurate records of the exact times children attend your setting. This includes:
Recording arrival and departure times for every child, every session
Recording absences and the reason for absence (this helps you spot patterns, which is an EYFS requirement)
You can do all of this directly in the tiney app register. You can edit register entries up to 14 days in the past if you need to make a correction.
Important: The register is a safeguarding record, not just an admin task. Accurate records matter. They may be needed if a safeguarding concern is ever raised. |
Paediatric First Aid certificate
You must hold a valid, in-person Paediatric First Aid certificate. You can upload this directly in the tiney app, and we'll send you reminders when it's due for renewal.
Risk assessments
You must have a risk assessment in place for your setting. This should be reviewed regularly and kept up to date. An example risk assessment template is available in the tiney app resources.
Common areas to include:
Indoor and outdoor spaces
Resources and equipment
Food hygiene and mealtimes
Outings and off-site activities
ICO registration
You are required to register with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) as you'll be handling personal data about children and families. This is a legal requirement under data protection law.
Food business registration
If you provide any food or snacks to children in your care, you must register as a food business with your local authority. This is a legal requirement.
CPD log
The EYFS doesn't specify a minimum number of CPD hours, but tiney's Quality Framework asks for a minimum of 16 hours per year. Keeping a log of your CPD activity is really important. Even if you're doing the learning, if it's not recorded it's hard to evidence.
You can track your CPD hours directly in the tiney app, which makes it easy to show your learning at your QA visit.
Mandatory records (only if you work with assistants or co-minders)
If you work with an assistant or co-minder, the following additional requirements apply:
Whistleblowing Policy, this is required under the EYFS for anyone working with others
References- you must obtain a reference for any assistant you recruit before they begin working with children
Suitability letter- your assistant must receive a suitability letter from tiney before they can be counted in your child-to-staff ratios. It's your responsibility to make sure this is in place.
Optional records (not required, but good practice)
These records aren't mandatory, but they're highly recommended. The best tiney childminders tend to have them well organised, and they'll be looked at positively during your QA visit.
Learning journals and observations
Keeping records of children's learning and development through observations and learning journals is excellent practice and expected as part of your EYFS responsibilities. The tiney app has a built-in learning journal to make this easy. You can log observations, link them to EYFS areas of development, and share updates with parents.
Parent communication records
Keeping a record of important communications with parents (especially around health, behaviour, or any concerns) is good safeguarding practice and can be really useful if any disputes or queries arise.
Previous settings records
If a child transfers to you from another setting, it's good practice to request records from their previous childminder or nursery (such as learning journal exports). This helps you understand the child's development and provide continuity of care.
Where to keep your records
Record | Where to keep it |
Policies | Uploaded to the tiney app (PDF format) and shared with parents |
Child Passport | tiney app |
Attendance register | tiney app |
Paediatric First Aid certificate | Uploaded to the tiney app |
Risk assessments | Uploaded to the tiney app |
CPD log | tiney app |
Learning journals | tiney app |
ICO registration | Your own records |
Food business registration | Your own records |
A quick note on keeping records in English
Under the EYFS, all childminders and assistants must have sufficient understanding and use of English to keep records in English, liaise with other agencies, and understand instructions. This is a requirement of your registration.
Questions?
If you're not sure whether a specific record is required, or you need help setting something up in the app, our team is happy to help. You can reach us via the tiney app or at quality@tiney.co.