I've recently decided that I want to retrain as a childminder. I've a teaching qualification and 10+ years of experience in education 4-12 year olds, but no nursery experience
you don’t need nursery experience to be a childminder. A good knowledge of child development is needed, but I know many good childminders who came in to the profession because they had their own dc And had didn’t want to go back to their old jobs. Teaching is far nearer to being a cm than some of the jobs my cm friends have done in the past.
I want to specialise in toddlers to coincide with my families age, may adapt as they get older
in England, childminders can look after 6 children under the age of 8, with 3 of them being under 5/school age. So depending on the age of your own children, they would come in to that ratio, affecting how many extra dc you can childmind for. When I first started as a cm, I only had little ones, then as my dc started school, I took on school age dc too. As mine finished at primary school, I decided to stop doing the school runs for minded dc too as it was quite a disruption to my day. It can be a good way to up your money though, especially if your school has a shortage of after school provision. I know some schools where parents are crying out for childminders.
So was wondering if anyone can help me get to where I need to be. A few questions.
What courses are mandatory/ which are not but useful
best to speak to your Local Authority I think. You will have to do a 12 hour Paediatric first aid course And a safeguarding course, but not sure about what else.
Will I need extra eyfs training or can I just build on my knowledge?
i think some Local Authorites put this on as part of the registration process, so again, best to speak to them.
Is there an app like tapestry to record children's progress? Preferably a free or cheap one?
childminders can use tapestry, but I don’t and ofsted don’t require it. I know some cms use it, but to me it’s an extra expense I don’t feel I need. You can do a simple learning journey in a notebook if you want to, but again, ofsted don’t require this, as long as you know your children and where they are in their development, that’s what matters.
What do Ofsted look for in my house? How did you adapt your house for young children?
your home will need to be safe for the dc you look after. But pretty much, if your home is safe for your own young dc, it should be safe for other people’s dc too Eg cleaning products up high, knives out of reach, medication/alcohol etc out of the way. Maybe stair gates, cupboard locks, fire guards, depending on your set up. A secure outside space (although not compulsory to have a garden, you need to show how your dc can access outside space each day). There are lots of childminders with Facebook/Instagram pages, it’s worth following a few to see how they run their businesses and get ideas.
good luck!