Thinking of becoming a childminder?

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:

• Email:  earlyyears@wokingham.gov.uk
• Phone:  0118 974 6181

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
  

• Bracknell and Wokingham College - The title of the course is a level 3 registration ready home-based childcare. Visit the  Bracknell and Wokingham College website for further details.

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 update your directory profile by signing in to your account

You can find further advice about becoming a childminder below:

• Step by step guide to registering as a childminder on the UK Government website
• Early years and childcare registration handbook on the UK Government website
• National Childminder Association's guide to becoming a childminder (PDF document)

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.