Thinking about becoming a Registered Childminder?

The law and childminding 

Registered childminders are childcarers who work in their own homes to provide care and learning opportunities for other people’s children.  Childminders who care for children from 0-8 years on domestic premises (other than the child’s own home) for more than a total of two hours a day and for reward must be registered by Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education).

Childminders who wish to care solely for children over the age of seven years can apply to go onto Ofsted’s Voluntary Register.  Further information is available from the Ofsted helpline  08456 404040 or by their website www.ofsted.gov.uk

Childminding Pre-Registration Coffee Mornings

The Community Access, Childcare and Early Years (CACEY) Workforce Development team  holds regular Coffee Mornings. They are designed as an informal briefing session to help you decide if you would like to apply to become a registered childminder, or consider other routes into working with children. If you are still interested in becoming a childminder, we will ask you to come to a two day training and support workshop. Topics covered will include:

• The 14 National Standards of Childminding
• Training opportunities and requirements
• Ofsted childminding registration process
• Business and tax side of childminding
• Updating Informed Famililes with your vacancies

Do I need a qualification to become a Childminder?

Childminders need to enjoy working with children and be able to:

• Provide stimulating play opportunities for children in a safe environment
• Be aware of how children learn and develop
• Welcome and provide for the needs of children from differing backgrounds and abilities
• Work in partnership with parents
• Keep proper attendance, safety and finance records

In addition to the free support and training we will give you, childminders are required to complete the 10 weekcourse “Unit 1 – Diploma in Home Based Childcare” (ICP) and gain an appropriate First Aid qualification within six months of becoming registered.  Potential childminders must have come to a coffee morning and attended the two day training and support workshop before being eligible for council funding towards the Unit 1 module and First Aid course.

Acting as a childminder without being registered could lead to prosecution.

Benefits of becoming a Registered Childminder 

Childminding is not an easy option but it can be a highly rewarding career.  It can offer you the opportunity to:

•  work in your own home
•  combine paid work with looking after your own child
•  develop your own career through further training opportunities

Quality and Standards 

Each childminding applicant must show OfSTED how they will meet the 14 National Standards for Childminding and those that work with children under 3 years need to follow good practice as set out in Birth to Three Matters: a framework to support children in their earliest years. Each of the 14 National Standards is ordered in a series of “outcomes” for children including: ● Being Healthy ● Staying Safe ● Enjoying and Achieving and ● Making a Positive Contribution. OfSTED also makes a judgement on how well your childminding service is organised.

During the registration process, each applicant must undergo an enhanced Criminal Record check, a Health check and other vetting procedures.  Everyone else aged 16 years and over who lives in the household must also have a Criminal Records check.

More information on the National Standards and the Birth to Three Framework can be viewed on www.enfield.gov.uk/if under the “Do you want to become a registered Childminder?” link.

OfSTED advises that childminding  applicants are likely to require competency in using and understanding  English or else have arrangements in place such as using an  assistant or family member who has sufficient fluency in English.  This is because registration requirements include being able  to: ▪ understand and respond to official documents such as  OfSTED registration documents, Criminal Record Bureau forms  and reports/letters ▪ read and understand safety instructions,  information on administering medicine or on food allergies  ▪ keeping accident and medical records and sharing these with  parents and inspectors ▪ planning and providing activities  to develop children’s emotional, physical, social and intellectual  capabilities including the ability to support children’s literacy  and language development and ▪ working in partnership with  parents and others to promote the welfare of children especially  where special needs are identified.

How many children can I care for? 

The number of children you can be registered for will depend upon the number and ages of your own children, play space available in your home and your past experience of caring for children. The maximum numbers that a childminder can be registered for is 6 children.  No more than 3 children can be under the age of 5 years and normally no more than two of these children can be under 12 months.  Childminders can also look after children over 8 years as long as it does not adversely affect the care of the younger children.

Childminders who take on an assistant or employ another childminder and intend to care for 5 or more children must first consult with the Enfield Planning Department. Informed Families can only adverstise your own vacancies, and not extra places available when you are working with an assistant.

How much can I earn as a childminder?

Childminders are self employed and therefore free to set their own pay rates.  In Enfield, childminders usually charge between £100 and £180 per week for full time care and between £3.50 and £6.00 per hour for part time care.  Childminders are responsible for their own tax and National Insurance contributions and can claim childminding expenses against tax. If you employ an assistant you must also take on employer responsibilities.

Enfield Childcare Recruitment Project

There are a variety of other roles within the childcare sector that you could gain employment in, including pre-schools, nurseries and out of school care.
For more information on training and job opportunities please contact the Childcare Recruitment Co-ordinator on:  020 8379 4921 www.enfield.gov.uk/playsupply

What should I do next? 

Please complete and return the enclosed form if you wish to be invited to the next available Coffee Morning. If you do not have a pre-addressed envelope, please send your form to the address below.

Before deciding if becoming a registered childminder is for you ask yourself

Useful Links

Ofsted
08456 40 40 40 
www.ofsted.gov.uk