Childminders in Enfield (EN2) area

[Enfield77]

Hi,
We have been looking for a nursery for our baby to start in from his first birthday (January 2024) but have really struggled to find one that we liked and/or had places available and was close enough for us to be practical.
The one that we found that we did like and had places available (Rosemount) doesn't take children until they are two. Our idea now is to find a childminder for a year and then start him at nursery.
The questions we have are:
Can anyone recommend a child minder in the area that is likley o have a space available?
Is it realistic that a childminder will take a baby for only one year and for only 3-4 days per week?
How do we go about checking out child minders? Unlike nurseries its not easy to do visits we've assumed?

Thanks

Personally I wouldn't, I've just had a baby for 8 months (8-16 months) which I knew from the beginning she would be going to nursery then but I wouldn't do it again.

I don’t know about Enfield but childminders in a lot of areas are in high demand and many that I know hate being a stopgap before nursery - especially if the parents lie about it (not saying you’d do that)!
I think childminders are an excellent option for younger children as a childminder really develops a bond with a child in a way that doesn’t happen in nurseries due to how nurseries/ baby rooms are managed. And bond with a trusted care giver is the most important thing for a young baby/ young toddler to feel secure and develop.
Childminders are governed by the EYFS so should be providing activities tailored to your child’s interests and next steps to aid their development in the same way a nursery wood. Best way to get a feel for a childminder is to visit their setting and talk to them and see how they interact with your baby. You should get a gut feeling. Good childminders can be very booked up though!

Yes childminders will facilitate visits if they have space.

Thanks for the very helpful feedback here. A few things for us to follow up on.

There should be a list of registered childminders on Enfield council website, usually this has emails and telephone details. I found that childminders offered you contact details for previous and current clients. Personally, we thought a group setting was good as small ones without siblings get plenty of interaction with other children also we found that this meant we could throw a 2nd birthday party with actual friends. However childminders will often take them when they are sick, whereas nurseries are more strict about this. Good luck!