Seriously considering being a childminder

[Duplocrocs]

Hello
there is a big demand for childminders in my village and the surrounding area and I’m seriously considering starting the process to register with Ofstead. Have a dining room with attached toilet that could be converted into the childcare room and a large garden.Though what I read online about being a childminder isn’t all that positive 😬

I have a 5 year old at school and a 2 year old who is home with me full time.

looking at the Ofstead requirements it fairly clear the steps I have to take except ‘childcare training’ - is this a specific course? Cause if so I can’t find it.

Any help or advice welcome!! Thank you!

Your local council might be able to help advise you - check if they have a Families Information Service. What area of the country are you in?

Thank you, I’m Oxfordshire and just taken a look and have requested a ‘thinking of being a childminder’ pack from them.

Every authority is different. Even though I'm a qualified teacher my local authority makes everyone do the level 3 Homecare Practitioners course before you can even begin the registration process, even though the registration is with Ofsted. You also need to do a paediatric first aid course, have an enhanced DBS and a health declaration from your doctors.
Childminding is like any job really, there are good days and bad days. It's also what you make it. I started when my children were young because it meant I could work around them. There are lots of positives to being your own boss but equally being self employed means you have no holiday pay or sick pay.
The process to register takes quite a while, mainly down to how long it takes for the DBS to come back and also to do with the waiting times for Ofsted to come out and do your pre registration visit.
I would say that there is very little respect for the job. People don't see it like a 'proper' job. Yet we are inspected by Ofsted and also have to deliver the EYFS as schools do. We really do do everything, from setting up our business, doing training and CPD to ensure we are up to date with changing legislation, managing the finances, delivering high quality childcare tailored to each individual child's needs, to the cook and the cleaner, the first sister, chief cuddle giver and nose and bottom wiper.
It's long hours, I work 10 hours a day. Juggling your own family can be difficult/exhausting trying to keep on top of everything. But like any job it has it's pros, you set your own hours and days, your own holidays, you can be at home for your own children, still attend sports days and nativities etc, your office for the day might be the beach or the woods.
Your house sounds ideal. I am lucky enough to have a separate part of the house that I have made into a playroom, it has doors out onto a large enclosed garden. I love that at the end of the day I can close the door on my workspace. As I say, it's what you make it.
Happy to answer any questions.

*first aider!!!

I'm a CM and overall I love it! It is hard work but it has been brilliant for me to work around my family, I've had some fabulous children & they become part of our family and I'm lucky that I've got some amazing CM friends and we all help each other.
It is tough though. Lots of paperwork, the weight of responsibility sometimes is a bit overwhelming but it's been a good job for me and I can't see myself doing anything else right now.
I did a training course through our local authority so I think checking with them will be your first port of call.

I was a childminder and left Easter last year, I started when my own children were little and it worked for a while. I worked 10 hour days and on top of that was planning, prep for the day, tidying up, paperwork all in my own time so not paid for it, like wise any training was in own time as I felt I could. It let my families down. In the end it no longer worked for my family , as my own children got older they resented having the little ones about all the time, they found doing their home work hard due the screaming, tantrums etc the kids were doing . I worked all through the lockdowns not mixing etc like guidance to keep our bubble safe only to discover families were not do the same and sending kids to me when they had been around positive people. Negatives for me were no sick or holiday pay, parents collecting late, paying when they could be bothered even with me charging in advance! Being paid late every xmas by tax credits as the company closes over that period and nothing processed, families sending in sick children and lying about it. Positives being at home while your own children are little, being able to take them to and from school, save yourself childcare fees.

Thank you so much all for sharing your experiences of the good, bad and ugly. The amount that is expected of a childminder in terms of paperwork & quality of ‘teaching’ does seem incredibly high from what your saying and the research I’ve been doing, on top of the actual long hours of childcare. I think I would only be able to offer 4 days. I’ve booked on to my councils home based care course so will take it from there I think. Thanks again all