Choosing Home based childcare
Choosing someone to look after your child when you return to work or training is one of the most important decisions you can make. Nearly 500,000 children are cared for by childminders and nannies, making home-based childcare the second most popular form of formal childcare in England and Wales.
Registered childminders work in their own homes, providing childcare for up to six children at any one time aged from birth to 8 years old. Many children stay with the same childminder for years – some well into secondary school.
Registered childminders are self-employed and inspected by Ofsted in England. All childminders take introductory training and most also hold a relevant qualification, such as a CACHE Level three Diploma in Home-based childcare. All childminders should have public liability insurance, health check, and an enhanced criminal records bureau (CRB) disclosure, and a valid first-aid certificate for people who work with children. This should be renewed every three years.
Benefits of using a childminder