The Children Act 1989 provides regulation on day nurseries, childminders, day care places and out of school and holiday programmes. This deals with services provided for children with disabilities and their families. In March 1998 part of the responsibility for the Children Act was transferred to the DfEE to integrate the regulation of early years services. Parts of the Children Act 1989 that were transferred to the DfEE from the Department of Health include Section 18, which gives local authorities the duty to provide day care for children in need, and the powers to provide it for other children; Section 19 which places a duty on local authorities to review every three years the services they provide for the under eights and publish the results; Part X which sets out the provisions for registration, regulation, and inspection of childminding and day care provision.

A report on the Children Act 1995-1998 can be found on the website including information on the three year Quality Protects programme which was used to transform the public care system. The Children Act also deals with child protection issues and monitoring of child abuse and care of children in need.

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