Child minding -how to get myself set up

[TheBookWyrm]

Hi all, looking for some advice about setting myself up as a childminder. I'm pregnant with my second who is due in January, so I have a few months where any qualifications/courses would be easier to do with one child rather than two.
My plan is to get set up and then start taking on other children when my second child is two. Start with just one other then work my way up as ratios get better and children get older. I'm a qualified teacher so I've a bit of a headstart in some things, but in other ways it is a complete change of direction so not sure the best way to do it.
So I know you have to do an eyfs qualification, was wondering if you only do this once and if so timing wise would it be worth it for me to do that now I have just one toddler?
Registering with Ofsted is that a one of or a yearly thing?
What other things will I need to do and are there any I can do 'inadvance' to spread the workload/cost.

Thank you.

Hi, when I set up my LA did a intro course telling you all about how to set up and what was involved etc. You will need to do a safeguarding course and Paediatric first aid course both renewalable every three years. I did my early years course through my LA but don’t think many offer it anymore. Once you have been approved by Ofsted you will need to pay an yearly fee £35 and be inspected once a inspection cycle just like in schools. You will also need yearly insurance mine was about £70 and join ICO again £35 a year.

All paperwork, policies could be done in advance

Thank you, that's really helpful. I did see you need those components as part of the course I was looking at so I might do the other parts first and the parts you have to renew later.
Yes I knew about the Ofsted inspections. In teaching Ofsted is totally unrealistic and causes schools to focus on target chasing rather than happy, well rounded children. Is it the same high stress situation in childminding or is it a different ball game?

I felt all the paperwork I did was for Ofsted, parents were not particularly interested in learning journals my planning, tracking etc they just Wanted to know their children were happy, safe and loved while they were at work. I told them all about our days and shared any cute photos/ videos daily with them anyway. One of the best things I stopped during the original lockdown was writing daily diary’s. I charged in advance and took deposit for spaces ( months fees) . This deposit was returned when they left my care so long as they did not owe me any money and gave me 4/weeks notice. If they did not take up the space or left in first 12 weeks they lost the deposit.

@Apple42 my parents love diaries! I use a software system called kinderly for everything and it sends an auto diary out on email at 6:30pm. I add the menu for the week and each day do a brief “what we’re doing today” that goes in every diary, then update each profile on an app with nappy changes, milk etc. it’s not expensive and really user friendly, cannot recommended it enough x

As a parent, I really value the daily diary.

Thanks for the kinderly recommendation, I'll look into it. I was looking for a cheap alternative to tapestry so that sounds ideal!

Definitely contact your local authority for advice.
Some may have grants available to help with start up costs.

@TheBookWyrm i used tapestry at nursery as both a practitioner, a manager and a parent. I much prefer kinderly…..and it does my accounts which tapestry didn’t!