Childminders who work together from one home - your views please

[WriggleJiggle]

Please can I ask why you work as childminders rather than setting up as a nursery?

I can't see the difference between the two options. What am I missing?

OK

1 childminder can work by themselves - so the other can go out with other children/school run

It's less lonely

It's good for parents as often if a childminder is ill cover is available

More adults = greater pool of knowledge

Nursery has more restrictions re staffing and currently paperwork/admin/food hygiene

But that may change in September with the arrival of EYFS

Planning permission I would guess is one thing... a nursery always requires planning consent, two childminders operating together may need consent, or may not - depending on the local town planning dept. Example complication would be things like car parking, disabled parking bay, that kind of thing.

Plus the requirement to meet disability access requirements would be less for the childminder

Why do you ask?

Do you think they are nursery like? I don't think my setting is very nursery like (iyswim)

Nurseries have to have a minimum number of NVQ3 qualified staff & C/M don't

Childminding is more homely, children cared for like they are in a big family. I've known some small nurseries to like a big family, but alas most nurseries are huge these days.

Actually with EYFS coming I think group minding settings will be a good way to go

Childminders care for children of mixed ages, whereas a nursery sub divides into groups, where children of a similar age are all in one group. Babies like having attention from older children, for short periods of time - such as when the older children come home from school. Toddlers also like joining in the games of older children. And of course older children like helping younger children.
Childminders will often take children out to various places. Nurseries may only take children into the nursery garden (some will take children further afield, but many in my experience don't).

That's a good one nick

Maybe we should franchise it & sell it on-line

I've been researching setting up a nursery for a while, catering for a maximum of 6 children (i.e. me and one other adult). Last night it suddenly dawned on me that I could probably have the set up I wanted, run it from home, and call it childminding instead. It seems that way I'd cut down on much of the regulations.

Would the other adult have to be a registered childminder or could they just be 'an assistant'

you would need 2 registered minders for 6 under 5's

Why do you need two registered minders to have 6 under 5s? I'm registered, but my dh is registered as an assistant (not because he does it, just to help in emergencies really) - we can have 6 under 5s.

Yep - but they are unlikely to be registered before EYFS comes in & that will change things for new minders - but it won't alter it for existing ones (iyswim - you will be OK but no-one will be allowed to register like that any more)