Family Information Service

The Family Information Services (FIS) provides free, impartial information and guidance on a full range of childcare and children's services and resources across the City of Bristol. The service is available to :

• parents and carers of children
• providers of childcare services
• people wishing to set up new childcare provision
• people wishing to become registered childminders
• employers and training providers

Information is available on:

• Choosing childcare: eg:childminders, pre-schools, nurseries, nannies, after-school and holiday clubs
• Finding childcare: lists of childcare providers in your area and how to contact them
• Support with childcare costs: including one-to-one advice sessions with our brokerage team
• Working in childcare: registering and training to become a childminder or nanny or starting your own childcare business
• Regional and national support organisations for families and children

Contact the FIS using the details on the right, or drop-in to speak to one of the team. Download our childcare booklet (pdf, 3.7 MB) (opens new window) for further details or, to search for childcare and related information, services and organisations visit our regional service directory 1 Big Database or the Bristol Parenting Hub. Our latest termly Bulletin for Childcare Providers is is also available, as is a new booklet describing the new welfare reforms and the changes to benefits

FIS have achieved the Families First Accreditation, a quality assurance process developed by NAFIS in conjunction with the Department for Education (DfE) as a tool to measure the effectiveness of delivery of its statutory obligation to meet the Information Duty in Section 12 of the 2006 Childcare Act.