Can anyone answer a stupid question about doing a college course towards becoming a childminder, please?

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

Hi! I've been thinking about becoming a childminder, I need to research it fully to make sure this is what I want to do yet, but before I do I wanted to find out if there were courses etc in my area. (I assume you do need to do some training before you can become a registered childminder, yes?)

Anyway so my local college has a Level 2 Certificate in Childcare and Education course. It's full time, apparently all you need to do it is 4 GCSE's at grade D or above. However I emailed to ask about fees and they wrote back that there "are no course or exam fees as it's a full time course"

What do they mean? would I have to get a student loan then to pay for the course? Surely I would have to pay somehow to learn? Confused.

contact your council early years .. its a free 3 day course

ICT course I think

Hi all you have to do is Intoduction to Childminding Practice, Child Protection and First aid, all of which are normally free, and funded by your council. Of course any other childcare related courses are beneficial in the long term.

You don't have to do the CCE - what you need is the Introduction to Childminding Practice. Contact your Early Years team for training details.

There's no point wasting your time and money doing a CCE when you do an NVQ3 when you're childminding which is a higher qualification. Your NVQ may well be funded too.

You don't need a level 2 (yet)

You don't need it to be a childminder

You need to do an ICP which is about 20 hrs & a paedatric first aid course, 12 hrs

You could then go on to a level3 (as you are your own manager)usually night school or distance learning

Don't know what the college is on about sorry

Getting Started with Childminding in Wales
I am assuming you are in Wales, as that detail is on your profile.

Childminding Regulations and Standards for Wales

Becoming a Childminder - Factsheet, from a local council

Wow, thanks, I had no idea. Everywhere I've looked online they've said I needed to do allsorts of diplomas etc. (On reading further, I think the lady who emailed me assumed I was 16-18 yrs old so entitled to free education)

I can't believe it's as easy as that to get started.While I'm here can I be cheeky and ask a couple more questions?

Am I correct in thinking that if you're a childminder you're self employed? And if so, is it a nightmare to do all that tax returns business? Plus would the fact that I was on antidepressants after the death of my mother affect me becoming registered? (lowest dose, only for 3 months) thanks!

No problem for the accounts - just shout & I'll help

AD's are normally OK too

Thanks NannyNick, I'll have a read through those links now!

Aaw, thankyou KatyMac, I appreciate the offer of help!

This is quite exciting, I thought it would be a very long drawn out process of two or three years before I could start work, and didn't know how I'd fund myself while studying.

It'll take about 6 months to get sorted - you need a CRB check & your courses sorted but you can do all that P/T while you do something else

We will be moving house in the summer, to one more suitable than this (steep stairs, tiny livingroom, no garden etc)

If I started my application soon, and moved midway, do you think it would be a problem or hold up the application? To put it a better way, at what point do they check your home for suitability? I'm not sure this house would pass for the above reasons.

Thanks for answering my questions btw, google isn't much help!

Oh just start the courses

Don't apply to OFSTED until you have nearly moved - or apply & explain about the new house that way you can start your CRB - just get used to writing covering letters to explain why

Ok, cheers for all the advice!

Depends how far you are moving. Local move should be ok, but moving to a different town or worse, county or even country, complicates things.

Katy - remember, JATGB is in WALES - so no Ofsted there.

Would be moving just over the border into Shropshire, so I suppose ofsted WOULD have to be involved.

Oh, and yes it is another town, approx 15 miles or so.

SORRY - I know nothing about Wales

So sort out all your stuff with the town you are moving to

Could you do you courses over here?

Don't register in Wales then... forget those links I posted before. England is different - oh joy - though much is the same.
Ofsted will your regulator, contact Shropshire Children's Information Service on 01743 254 400 and chat with them about registering as a childminder. They may be able to arrange some things for you prior to your actual move - though I suspect that you will have to do most things once in England. Funding issues play havoc.

No idea, but I'll ring this town, and the other town's early years teams tomorrow to ask what I should do. Thanks again!

Oh, thanks Nannynick, I'll ring them instead then. It's ok if it takes a few months, as I also have to learn to drive and pass my test before I can do it properly.

Registration is not transferable between countries - don't start registration in Wales. They may let you do the ICP course and First Aid Course in Wales... but I suspect that your local authority won't want to fund you, as you won't be creating childcare places in their area. Of course, you could just not tell them that you are moving, and fail to fill in the paperwork for CSSIW... with luck complete ICP and First Aid, taking those certificates with you to your new home in England.