Query about registering as a childminder

[Betty20]

Hello,

I have to return to work in October and a mummy friend of mine is very keen to register as a childminder and look after my son. She has a baby the same age as my son, in fact we met at an ante natal class.

I've been searching online for all the details of processes we need to go through in order to set this up and most of it is pretty clear.

However, can anyone tell me if she will be allowed by the authoritories to look after the two babies? Both will be one in early November. She isn't planning on taking on any more children. I can find information about how many children childminders are allowed and at what age and it seems that only one baby under one is allowed at any one time, but I'm hoping that alters if she has no other children?

Many thanks.

Only one is allowed to be under one. Over one and she can have upto 3.

Oh, that didn't really answer your question did it! The best thing to do is phone your authority and speak to the Eary Years team.

Your friend can apply for a variation on the number of children she is allowed to look after under one. She has to show them she can care for two babies under one at the same time.

And if that doesn't get approved (which would be silly for sake of a month or so), she CAN be your nanny (i.e. look after them at your house) for the period of time before one turns 1 but I don't know how the payment etc. works as she'd be your employee

She could look after them in your home (effectively as a nanny) until they are one, and then in her home as a childminder after that.

Childminder registration process could easily take 3 months, so having the person care for your son at your home (thus a nanny) could be the soluition until both children are 1 years old. Meanwhile, childminder registration is underway, so that your friend can then childmind at her own home - could then take additional children as well as your son.

Yes, your friend could apply for a variation to permit the care for two under 1's... but without prior childcare experience, and due to being a new registration, the regulator my not be willing to accommodate that initially. Thus easier to wait until children are 12 months old.

That's really helpful everyone, thank you so much.