Night nurseries rest easier with Ofsted

Nursery providers have welcomed Ofsted's approach to regulating overnight care for young children. Ofsted took over responsibility for monitoring standards for overnight nursery care in September 2001, with the introduction of the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding. Previously any nursery wishing to provide overnight care was classed as a children's home and was monitored by local authority social services. The standards required varied depending on the authority and were not always appropriate for nursery care.