Getting advice for early years qualifications from within the UK

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Check an early years qualification in the UK

There are different ways to check an early years qualification from a training provider in the UK.

Information for early years managers

If you are an early years manager, you can use DfE’s check an early years qualification service (opens in a new tab) to check the approval status of prospective and existing employees’ qualifications.

Information for practitioners and other roles

If you are a practitioner or another role and you are enquiring about the approval status of an early years qualification awarded in the UK, check the EQYL (opens in a new tab).

Check the early years qualification list if you:

• have a qualification in early years education from within the UK
• need to check the approval status of an early years qualification

This list shows which qualifications meet the staff-to-child ratios requirements in early years settings in England.

Contact [email protected] if you need advice on your early years qualification achieved in the UK and want to work in England. 

If you do not have a qualification mentioned on the EQYL but would like to be included in the staff-to-child ratios as qualified, you need to either:

• obtain a new qualification that is listed on the EQYL, or
• complete the experience-based route (EBR) (opens in a new tab) if you are eligible