Child care by Childminders
Childminders look after children on domestic premises which will usually be the childminder’s own home. They are registered with Ofsted and inspected every year. Childminders can often be flexible about the hours that they offer and they should provide your child with lots of care, fun and learning.
Childminders can make the most of local parks, playgrounds, toy libraries, drop-in groups and community centres. Often children have the chance to make good friends with the other children who go to their childminder. Every childminder is different so look for someone who will suit your family. Some childminders are part of a network; these childminders have agreed to meet set quality standards and some may be accredited to offer Early Years Education.
Plus points
- Your child will be in a home environment.
- Childminders can support families for years as children grow up.
- They can provide flexible hours of care, including school holidays.
- Childminders are registered and inspected regularly, and may have childcare qualifications.
- They are likely to be experienced childcarers and often a parent, too.
- They live locally.
- They may be prepared to drop off/collect from nursery/school.
- Your child will have other children to play with.
- They will be cared for in a small group.
- They can offer continuity of care, especially if the childminder is prepared to do after school hours.
How do I know my child will be safe and secure?
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First of all you know your child best – look for a setting which you feel will be suitable for your child. Talk to other people who use the setting.
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All places providing child care must be registered and conform to the Ofsted standards. All personnel must be qualified and have child care certificates. They must be registered before they begin to work with children. This means checks are carried out to make sure they are suitable to care for children.
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You have the right to ask to see the certificates and the policies. These policies should include Health and Safety, First Aid and Food and Hygiene as a basic minimum and have full information about the routines of the day for your child.
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People over 16 years living in the childminder’s household are also police checked to make sure they have not carried out any offence against a child. A check on the childminder’s home is carried out as well to make sure it is safe and suitable for children.
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After any organisations are registered they must still have regular checks from the local authority and inspections are carried out to make sure the setting is still is continuing to provide a safe and suitable service. All staff are continually checked especially new members of staff. There now can be ‘spot check’ inspections which happen without warning . You should ask to see the registration certificate and latest inspection report. Child minders in your home should be assessed by you and the necessary details ascertained for insurance and safety.
What's a registered childminder?
A childminder is self-employed and has to be registered with the appropriate Government regulatory bodies. When registered, a childminder is checked for references, training, police record and health, and their home is inspected to make sure it's a safe and suitable environment for children. After registration, a childminder is checked every one to three years to ensure they're continuing to provide a safe and suitable service. All childminders in England and Wales (although not yet in Scotland and Northern Ireland) are required to complete a basic registration courses, including first-aid training. They may also have other childcare qualifications (eg, an NVQ in Early Years Care and Education, a vocational qualification at Level 3).
A childminder may look after any age of child, from baby to teenager, but registration regulations only apply to care provided for children under the age of eight.
According to Government regulations, a childminder is allowed to look after six children under the age of eight (under 12 in Scotland and Northern Ireland). Of those six, no more than three should be under the age of five; of those three, no more than one should be under the age of one (exceptions are made for siblings). Any care for children over the age of eight should not be allowed to adversely affect the care provided for children under eight.
Some questions you could ask:
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Who else lives in your house?
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Do you have any children of your own? How many and
ages?
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Will you be taking children in the car, and if so
what safety seats/belts do you use?
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Do you have any pets?
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Do you smoke?
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Can you take/collect from pre-school or school?
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Are you a member of a childminding network or group?
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What will happen if you are sick or cannot look after
my child for any reason?
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What notice period will we both have to give if either
of us need to change or end the contract?
Questions to ask when visiting any child care centre
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