(REC) Recruitment & Employment Confederation: REC is an organisation "championing providers of recruitment solutions". They offer a code of good practice for recruitment agencies and many childcare agencies are members (you can find a list of member nanny and au pair agencies on their site) REC members are subject to their complaints and disciplinary procedures.

Tel: 020 7323 4300 / 01483 766442

nursery-world.co.uk: The online version of this excellent magazine covers employment, training and news from the childcare world.

PANN (The Professional Association of Nursery Nurses): The only union caring for childcarers. Members include nursery nurses, nannies and classroom assistants. PANN works to promote the best possible practice in childcare and campaigns nationally on childcare issues. Members are offered free help and advice on practice, pay and conditions. PANN is a section of PAT (Professional Association of Teachers).
Email: pann@pat.org.uk
Tel: 01332 3723372

Association of Nanny Agencies: ANA is a non-profitable organisation that supports and informs its Nanny Agency members. It aims to promote good practice and to provide a quality service to nannies and families.

CACHE (Council for Awards in Children's Care and Education): The main awarding body in children's care and education and in playwork. CACHE writes and assesses training courses and accredits childcarer's competence in their workplace. Recently merged with National Association for Maternal and Child Welfare (NAMCW).

Tel: 01727 867 333

Child Alert: Childalert is an information, advice and services company dedicated to child safety and wellbeing; it is for parents and all those that have a responsibility for looking after and raising children.

NannySuccess.com: NannySuccess.com helps you to search for and manage your childcare; all based on your personality type. For those interested in employing a Nanny, Au Pair or Housekeeper a personalised plan is developed for you, to help you get it right first time around.
Email: georgina@nannysuccess.com
Tel: +44 (0)1285 810410

Nannytax: Nannytax: Did you know that if you employ a nanny in the UK and pay her over £84 per week you must register as an employer and pay tax and NI on her behalf? The obligations involved are complex and time-consuming, especially for a first-time employer. Nannytax is the UK’s leading payroll support service for nanny employers and we can help transform the hassle of being an employer into peace of mind. Our payroll team is headed by the IPPM Manager of the Year 2004 – your payroll couldn’t be in better hands. We file your end-of-year return electronically, which automatically qualifies you to a £150 tax-free incentive payment from the Inland Revenue
Email: mailbox@nannytax.co.uk
Tel: 01273 626256

The Daycare Trust: A national childcare charity promoting high quality affordable childcare. They co-ordinate the annual National Childcare Week and offer a childcare consultancy service to employers.
Email: info@daycaretrust.org.uk
Tel: 020 7840 3350

The National Childminding Association: Promotes quality registered childminding so that children, families and communities can benefit from the best in childcare and education.
Email: info@ncma.org.uk
Tel: 0845 880 0044

The Norland College: With their distinctive brown uniforms Norland is the most well-known and respected training college for nannies. Training provides both nationally accredited vocational qualification and the opportunity to gain practical experience working with children on site nurseries and classes.
Email: mail@norland.co.uk
Tel: 01488 682252

ChildCareLink: ChildcareLink provides details of local childcare providers in England and Scotland as well as general information about childcare.

Department for Education & Employment: Early Years Funding Team Offers info on Government policy re: free nursery places for 3 - 4 year olds. Contact your local authority's early years and development department for info on childcare planning and policy.
Email: feedback.website@dfee.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7273 5681

Home Office Immigration and Nationality Dept: For info on regulations concerning employing au pairs who are non-EU nationals.

Tel: 0870 6067766

The Department of Trade and Industry: The DTI offer a free and confidential complaints service about childcare agency conduct. It investigates complaints made by families or nannies.
Email: steve.keeler@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 72155000

angels and urchins: angels & urchins - the indispensable parents' magazine For parents of children 0–10 years, including pregnant women: What’s On for children in London, travelling with children, pregnancy and baby news, London area profiles and an indispensable resource for nanny agencies, party entertainers, children’s photographers and more

Child Safe Zones: Child Safe Zones provides important information, including a photograph, about your children for use if the become seperated - to reunite lost or found children.

Families: The site for the great free local Families newsletters which are read by over 500,000 people throughout the UK. Each magazine is edited by parents in the local area and is distributed 6 times a year. The website is run by a group of magazine editors, who are also all parents. The site includes endless ideas to help you, and most importantly your children: their parties, their education, their holidays, their childcare, their fun as well as their stumbles along the way. If you register online you can find information specifically tailored to where you live. The Best Bear team love this website!

goodschoolsguide.co.uk: The independent critical parents' guide to top UK schools

Homework Help: Maths and Reading Help for Kids is a directory of articles offering tips for homework help, improving test scores, developing positive study habits, and more.

keepyourkidssafe.com: Keep Your Kids Safe on the Internet is the companion web site for the bestselling Internet safety book for parents. This easy-to-understand guide shows parents how to protect their kids from threats lurking on the Internet including undesirable images, pop-ups, viruses and spyware.

mumszone.co.uk: A community for parents to meet and chat with others in a similar situation. Somewhere to get advice or relax.

Netmums.com: Netmums is a dedicated site for local mums by local mums.

New Baby Company: New Baby Company offers professional, practical and personal advice during and after pregnancy.

Oneparentfamilies.org.uk: One Parent Families, the National Council for One Parent Families. A registered charity working to promote the welfare and independence of lone parents and their children.

Parentlineplus.org.uk: Parentline Plus, because instructions aren't included. This is a UK registered charity offering advice to anyone parenting a child.

parentscentre.gov.uk: UK Government information for parents who want to help their children learn. Offers information and advice about your child's learning and the English education system.

Right Start Magazine: Right Start Magazine - a guide to parenting, childrens education, behaviour, family matters, food concerns, child health issues, play and activity ideas

Singleparents.org.uk: singleparents.org.uk is a useful website includign information, advice and first-hand experiences to help visitors manage and enjoy life as a single parent.

sitesforparents.com: Provides a list of websites of interest to parents

SmileChild Magazine: An exciting new site and online magazine for anyone with kids, offering shopping, information and discussion.

The Baby Registry: The Baby Registry Advice Directory, your guide to the help and advice available to parents

The Web Mag: the internet's monthly childcare site published by Caring for Children and Centre for Children - University College Northampton

Top Childcare Sites Listing: If you like this site, please feel free to vote for Best Bear at this list of Childcare Top Sites.

Trojans scheme: Trojans is a South London based educational and training charity providing out of school activities for children and spreading good practice in the playwork arena. Created in 1995, as a joint parent and school initiative at a primary school in Streatham, today, it runs 14 daily projects in Lambeth and Wandsworth and is expanding.

webtots.co.uk: A website for the toddler to interact with. Colouring book cartoon character (frank), Father Christmas and Christmas Carols to sing along to and more.

working families: Working Families, formerly Parents At Work and New Ways to Work, is a campaigning charity which supports and gives a voice to working parents and carers, and helps employers create workplaces which encourage work-life balance for everyone.

ABCmedicalservices: Leading providers of First Aid & Emergency Medical Training, Ambulance & Paramedic Services and First Aid / Medical Supplies.

Click here for First Aid Courses Providers:

Fingershield Safety: Fingershield is a simple device that completely covers the gap that is created on the hinge side of a door when it is in the open position protecting children from traumatic finger trapping injuries. According to ROSPA there are over 40,000 recorded finger trapping accidents occurring every year in the UK. Fingershield Safety (UK) has become the largest supplier of anti-finger trapping devices into Schools and Nurseries throughout the United Kingdom, Fingershield Safety has already protected the fingers of an estimated ONE MILLION children throughout the UK.

Optimum Training: OPTIMUM have been working with the childcare sector since the business began trading and now has a team of specialised trainers. This specialisation began when the founder Amanda Clarke had a discussion with a work colleague and friend who had young children. Amanda inspired her friend to ensure that her childcarer was first aid qualified in case of an accident. At that time, this was not a legal requirement for this sector. However, Amanda felt so strongly about this that she set up her own “First Aid for Childcarers©” course. As a trained medic, Amanda firmly believed that everybody should have first aid training especially those responsible for youngsters. It is now recommended by OFSTED that every childcarer should have training in first aid, which should be at least 12 hours duration.

Click here for Childcare Courses:

MyOtherMum Childcare Training: My Other Mum has a passion for putting the right people into childcare, working with schools to give Senior students the unique and affordable opportunity to complete the Certificate lll in Children’s Services whilst still at school (Australia)