Becoming a childminder

[dancingfreckles]

I hope some people could give me some advice.

Looking at a career change and want to set up as a childminder. Where do you start and if there are any courses I need to take before I register other than the first aid course? Do I need to take a course in Early years foundation stage?

Thank you

Speak to your county council. They will probably run a briefing session. You will need to do a childminding course and also a safeguarding course before you can start taking children. They don't insist you take a course in the EYFS because it was designed to replicate what goes on in a best-practice home environment anyway, so if you're a mother you're probably doing it anyway! There'll be some stuff about observations you have to do, but that'll all be covered in the course.

Thank you much appriciated

it all depends on your area as well of hows things are set up im becoming a childminder done all courses just wanting for ofsted. good luck

A seemingly little known fact: You don't need to go through your LA (Local Authority) to register as a childminder, you can get the forms from Ofsted direct :)

Ofsted will provide the CRB forms for you. You need to hold a paediatric first aid certificate, and undertake a course approved by your LA within 6 months (I think) of registration. Some will require you to undertake a course called CYPOP5 (which you can do online through the National Childminding Association - NCMA) or they might want you to attend courses they put on themselves.

However, the bit that seems to take the longest is waiting for a briefing session, or waiting for Ofsted to process your forms - so there's no reason why you can't get the forms from Ofsted, send them off, do your first aid course and then do the course your LA require at the appropriate time - Ofsted don't specify any particular course :)

You can download the EYFS pack that is given out which contains all of the information about standards and what you MUST do, as well as the Learning and Development requirements you will be expected to work to.

I'd recommend getting yourself onto the childminding forum (google it) and you'll get a wealth of advice and information from there.

*forgot to mention the safeguarding course, but they are usually run for free by councils so you can get yourself onto that once you've sent off your Ofsted forms!

Childminding forum is great I'm on there and gets loads of help and support

If you need any help with documentation try childminding paperwork