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Thinking of becoming a childminder?

Thinking of becoming a childminder?

Do you want to:

  • Look after children?
  • Care for them in your own home?
  • Help children learn and develop? 

Being a registered childminder can be a rewarding career giving you the opportunity to be self-employed. You will work in partnership with parents and/or carers to promote the learning and development of children you care for.

As an Early Years Practitioner you will have telephone and email support from an Early Years Adviser. Once you're a registered childminder there are further professional development opportunities.

If you would like further information about becoming a childminder contact the early years and childcare team:


If you're interested, you can come along to a pre registration briefing we'll:

  • Give you an overview of what childminding will entail
  • Talk you through the registration process 
 

If you'd like to attend a pre registration briefing session contact the early years and childcare team for next briefing date:


Alternatively to the council's briefing session the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) run a short online briefing taster session which helps individuals to see if being a childminder is right for them. For further information visit the PACEY website.

To become a childminder you will need to attend a pre-registration training course.  This can be completed through:

  • The Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) - The title of the course is preparing to work in home-based childcare, visit the PACEY website for further details



Wokingham Borough Council does not endorse any of the training courses or resources. It is an example of what is available.

If you're thinking of becoming a childminder there are costs that you need to think about.

The below list is a guide, it is not a definitive list. There may be other costs associated with your childminding business that are not listed here.

  • Pre registration course - £200
  • Ofsted initial registration - £35 (October 2017)
  • Early years register - £35 (April 2017)
  • Compulsory childcare register - £103 (If you look after children between 5 and 7 years)
  • Car insurance for business use
  • Food safety level 2 training - £15
  • Paediatric first aid training (12hrs) - from £89 (renew every 3 years)
  • First aid equipment - from £5 to £45
  • Enhanced DBS check - £52.50 for a childminder and any person living in the household over 16 year of age (£13 annual renewal)
  • GP health check - £35 to £100
  • Public liability insurance - £28.90 per year from Pacey
  • Membership to childcare organisations (optional)
  • Home safety equipment
  • Adaptions to home and garden
  • Advertising
  • Training
  • Resources

Recently there have been childcare needs that haven't been met at the following schools

  • Colleton Primary School
  • Coombes CE Primary School
  • Emmbrook Infant School
  • Emmbrook Junior School
  • Evendon Primary School
  • Floreat Montague Park Primary School
  • Grazeley Parochial CE Aided Primary
  • Wheatfield Primary School
  • Windmill Primary School

If you can drop off and/or collecting from one of these schools, make sure the school is listed on your directory profile, once you become an Ofsted registered childminder.

You can find further advice about becoming a childminder below:


Exempt from registering with Ofsted

If a child carer provides care where a child does not stay with them for more than two hours a day, even if the childcare service is open for longer than two hours then the provider is not required to register with Ofsted. For further information please read the Early years and childcare registration handbook available for download on the Gov.uk website.

To update your childminder profile sign in to our directory self-serve system.

Keeping safe online

When writing a description about your childminding service to be included on your directory listing please be mindful of the personal information you are sharing.

It is advisable to keep personal information limited. Ask yourself is this information something I could share when I meet with a potential new family rather than on online where anyone can see it?

For further information on internet safety tips including helping children to stay safe online visit the following websites:

          

By keeping up to date on internet safety it will help the children you work with, their families and yourself stay safe online.

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