What kind of questions to ask childminder?

[blibblobblub]

We're starting to look at childcare for baby DD; she'll be around 9 months old when we both return to work. Hopefully we'll need just one day a week, but at the most it'd be three.

I think we've decided on a childminder rather than a nursery, and I've found a couple to get in touch with that sound good.

What kind of questions should I be asking if we go to meet them? Obviously I'll be checking out the environment, looking to see how safe everything is, etc. But I don't know what I should be asking!

(Considering my mum used to be a childminder you'd think I'd be better at this...)

Where would she sleep, does she have appropriate car seats, what food does she provide. What's her routine, does she go to groups, how long do they spend in the car/on school runs. How does she communicate with you eg I've used one childminder that just did a verbal handover at the end of the day, one that did a written diary sheet and one that sends whatsapp messages and photos during the day.

How long has she been a cm. does she go to playgroups/meet with other cm. sickness policy. Paid holidays. Policies on calpol, sunscreen. Approach to potty training. Lateness policy.

But your gut felling is the most important thing.