Question 1

How does Crechely work?

Accepted Answer

Crechely lets you search registered nurseries, pre-schools, Montessori nurseries and after school clubs across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland by postcode, area and your child's age. You join their waiting list in one click — no phone calls needed. When a place opens that matches your child, you receive an instant notification. You then log in, accept the place, and the nursery's contact details are revealed so you can arrange the start date directly.

Question 2

Does Crechely cover after school clubs too?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Crechely lists after school clubs alongside nurseries and pre-schools. If you are searching for care for a school-age child, select 'After school club' as the service type when searching. You can join after school club waiting lists the same way — in one click, with instant alerts when a place opens.

Question 3

Are Montessori nurseries on Crechely?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Montessori nurseries registered with their nation's regulator appear on Crechely. You can filter search results by service type to see only Montessori settings near you.

Question 4

Is there a free plan?

Accepted Answer

No. Creating an account is free, but joining waiting lists, contacting carers and following your child's day with your nursery all need a plan. Choose Plus (£4.99/month or £49.99/year) for up to 10 waiting lists and 2 children, or Premium (£9.99/month or £99.99/year) for unlimited waiting lists and up to 4 children. Accepting a place is always free.

Question 5

What does Plus give me?

Accepted Answer

Plus (£4.99/month or £49.99/year) lets you join up to 10 waiting lists, add up to 2 child profiles, save up to 10 favourite nurseries, and get priority email alerts when a place opens.

Question 6

What does Premium give me?

Accepted Answer

Premium (£9.99/month or £99.99/year) gives you everything in Plus plus unlimited waiting lists, up to 4 child profiles, an unlimited shortlist with notes, tour bookings with nurseries, side-by-side comparison of nurseries, and instant offer alerts.

Question 7

How long will it take to find a place?

Accepted Answer

This depends entirely on availability in your area and your child's age. Crechely cannot guarantee a timeframe — we can only make sure you are notified the moment a matching place opens. Joining more waiting lists increases your chances significantly, which is why Premium includes unlimited waiting lists.

Question 8

Does a paid subscription guarantee a childcare place?

Accepted Answer

No. A Plus or Premium subscription does not guarantee your child a place at any nursery, pre-school or after school club. It simply makes the search easier for both you and the provider — more waiting lists, faster alerts, and tools to compare and book tours. The final decision on offering a place always rests with the childcare provider, based on their availability, policies and your family's needs.

Question 9

Are providers on Crechely registered and inspected?

Accepted Answer

Childcare in the UK is regulated separately in each nation — by Ofsted in England, the Care Inspectorate in Scotland, Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) and the Health and Social Care Trusts' Early Years Teams in Northern Ireland. We ask every nursery for its registration number for its nation and check it against the official register. Each regulator publishes inspection reports on its own website, and we strongly recommend reading the latest report and visiting any nursery before accepting a place.

Question 10

What happens when I accept a place?

Accepted Answer

When a nursery offers you a place, you'll receive an email alert. You have 72 hours to log in and accept or decline. Accepting reveals their phone number and email so you can contact them directly to arrange your start date, contract, and any funded hours or Tax-Free Childcare paperwork. There is no fee to accept.

Question 11

Can I use Crechely for more than one child?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can add multiple children to your account and manage separate waiting lists for each child. Plus allows up to 2 children. Premium allows up to 4 children.

Question 12

What is Tax-Free Childcare and am I eligible?

Accepted Answer

Tax-Free Childcare is available across the whole UK. For every £8 you pay into your childcare account, the government adds £2 — up to £2,000 per child per year, or £4,000 for a disabled child. It covers children up to 11 (up to 16 if disabled). Usually each parent must be working, earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum or Living Wage, and earn under £100,000 a year. Your nursery or childminder must be registered. You can't use it at the same time as Universal Credit childcare support or childcare vouchers. Apply at childcarechoices.gov.uk.

Question 13

What funded childcare hours can I get?

Accepted Answer

Funded hours depend on where you live, because childcare funding is set by each nation. England — 30 hours for working parents: Up to 30 funded hours a week, 38 weeks a year, for eligible working parents of children aged 9 months to 4 years; 15 hours for every 3–4 year old: All 3 and 4-year-olds in England get 15 funded hours of early education a week, whatever your income. Scotland — 1,140 hours funded ELC: 1,140 hours a year of funded early learning and childcare (about 30 hours a week in term time) for every 3 and 4-year-old, and eligible 2-year-olds. Wales — Childcare Offer for Wales: Up to 30 funded hours a week of nursery education and childcare, for up to 48 weeks a year, for eligible parents of 3 and 4-year-olds; Flying Start: 12.5 funded hours a week for eligible 2-year-olds, being rolled out across Wales area by area. Northern Ireland — Pre-School Education Programme: A funded pre-school place in your child's final pre-school year — 12.5 hours a week, or 22.5 hours in full-time settings, during term time; NI Childcare Subsidy Scheme: 15% off childcare bills (up to a cap) for eligible working parents, paid through Tax-Free Childcare. Our cost calculator works out what applies to your child, and your local council or education authority confirms eligibility.

Question 14

How does Crechely work for nurseries?

Accepted Answer

You register your setting and complete your profile with your registration details (Ofsted URN, Care Inspectorate service number, CIW registration number or HSC Trust registration), age range, fees, funded hours and availability. Parents searching in your area can find you and join your digital waiting list in one click. When you have a place, you update your availability and every matching parent on your list receives an instant alert. You then manage acceptances and declines through your dashboard.

Question 15

How much does it cost?

Accepted Answer

Crechely is completely free for every childcare provider — forever. No credit card required, no trial period, no paid tiers. Day nursery, pre-school, Montessori, after school club — single setting or whole group, it's all free.

Question 16

What happens to my data if I stop using Crechely?

Accepted Answer

Your waiting list data is never deleted. If you stop using Crechely and come back later, everything is exactly as you left it. Your listing can be paused if you mark your setting as inactive — parents cannot find you in search but your account and data are fully preserved.

Question 17

Do I need to be registered?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Crechely lists registered childcare settings only — registered with Ofsted in England, the Care Inspectorate in Scotland, Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) and the Health and Social Care Trusts' Early Years Teams in Northern Ireland. Add your registration number when you set up your profile and we check it against the official register before activating your listing. This is what gives parents confidence in the platform.

Question 18

What is the waiting list position system?

Accepted Answer

Families are added to your waiting list in the order they apply. Premium parent subscribers receive a slight priority boost. You can see every family's position, their child's age, and their preferred start date. You can change any entry's status — pending, offered, accepted, or declined — from your dashboard.

Question 19

Do parents pay to contact us?

Accepted Answer

No. Parents are never charged to accept a place or contact your setting. Crechely is free for all providers, and parents join waiting lists with Plus or Premium — Plus (£4.99/month or £49.99/year) or Premium (£9.99/month or £99.99/year).

Question 20

Can I export my waiting list?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Your full waiting list can be exported as a CSV file at any time from your dashboard — including parent names, child details, preferred start dates, and application dates.

Question 21

How do I get more families on my waiting list?

Accepted Answer

Share your Crechely profile link on your own website, social media, and anywhere parents might look. Every parent who visits your profile can join your waiting list in one click. We also show your setting to parents searching in your area and age range — the more complete your profile, the more visible you are.

Question 22

What's the difference between a childminder and a nanny on Crechely?

Accepted Answer

A childminder cares for children in their own home, usually looking after a small group of children from different families, and must be registered with their nation's regulator. A nanny cares for children in the family's home, typically for one family at a time. On Crechely you can browse both, filter by area and care type, and message the ones that match what you need.

Question 23

How do I find a childminder or nanny?

Accepted Answer

Use the 'Find a childminder & nanny' link in the header or your parent dashboard. You can browse the public directory, filter by area, rate and availability, or post a public request describing what you're looking for. Matched childminders and nannies get notified and can respond directly.

Question 24

Is it free to contact a childminder or nanny?

Accepted Answer

No. To contact childminders and nannies and view their responses, you need Plus (£4.99/mo) or Premium (£9.99/mo). Childminders and nannies never pay Crechely — the platform is free for them forever.

Question 25

Can I pay a childminder or nanny with Tax-Free Childcare?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if they are registered. Childminders registered with Ofsted (or a childminder agency), the Care Inspectorate, CIW or an HSC Trust can be paid through Tax-Free Childcare. Nannies in England can join Ofsted's voluntary Childcare Register so families can use Tax-Free Childcare. Always ask for their registration number.

Question 26

Are childminders and nannies verified?

Accepted Answer

Every childminder and nanny on Crechely creates a public profile with their experience, rates and services. Verified profiles have uploaded and approved credentials, such as their registration and DBS, PVG or Access NI check — you'll see a verified badge on their profile. We still recommend meeting anyone in person, checking references and reading reviews before making a decision.

Question 27

How do reviews work?

Accepted Answer

After you've hired a childminder or nanny through Crechely, you can leave a rating and public review on their profile. This helps other parents make informed choices and rewards childminders and nannies who do great work.

Question 28

I'm a childminder or nanny — how do I join?

Accepted Answer

Register a childminder account, complete your profile with a photo, bio, rates and services, and set your area and availability. Once you're live, you'll appear in the directory and receive parent requests matched to your area. It's completely free — no listing fee, no commission.