Very Confused!

[boobum]

Hi everyone. I'd be extremely grateful for some advice about which register I should be applying to for childminding that I'm about to start. (Mum claims childcare tax credits so needs a registration number from me)

I'll be looking after two boys aged 7 and 9 for two hours each day after school. I understand that because its only for two hours, it should be the voluntary register but would this mean I couldn't offer additional hours in the holidays?

Also, does anyone know if the annual fee is the same for the compulsory and voluntary registers?

Thanks in advance - have spoken to Ofsted who gave me contradictory advice and now my head hurts!

Hmm tricky one.

Where would you be providing the actual childcare in the children's own home... or at your home?

With regard to fees: Ofsted Fees The fees are different between the Early Years Register and the Childcare Register.

At my home.

Also, doeas anyone know if you need a CRB with the voluntary register?

You need a CRB check done regardless of the register type. As care is to be provided at your home, all those aged 16+ at your home will need a CRB check. Ofsted will arrange that.

Looks to me as though you would fall under the Compulsory part of The Childcare Register:

"compulsory: because they care for children aged from 1 September following their fifth birthday up to the age of eight and at least one individual child attends for a total of more than two hours in any one day".
Source: Guide to Registration: Childcare Register (Aug 2008)

Currently due to the fee structures, it looks like it will be cheaper to actually register for BOTH the Early Years Register and the Childcare Register, as currently Childminders caring for children 0-8yrs get a special rate (currently £25 per year).

Do you want to have all the hassle of inspections? If you were to care for the children at their home... then you could register as a Home Childcarer and the inspections are not as routine (think they do about 10% of Home Childcarers a year).

If you provide the care at your home... would you consider taking in other children? Such as toddlers during the day?

Looks to me like this may be a lot of hassle for little money... is this financially viable?

Thanks Nannynick. Yes, I agree, the compulsory register.

It says in the booklet that inspections are carried out for those on compulsory and voluntary registers randomly. I hope I've understood this correctly.

So, I'm presuming the Early Years Register will involve more routine inspections (would like to avoid this).

Thanks again

In October 2009 (or possibly later, the timescale is not yet clear to me) there will be an additional fee - £64 for Independent Safeguarding Authority. This is a fee which all childcarers in England, Wales, NI will need to factor in to their costs.

Thanks for the info

How soon were you planning to start? Registration may take several months.

Are you aware that if you provide care for under 2 hours, you do not need to register. The mum can't then use childcare tax credits but it would be easier for you.

If you provided childcare at the children's home... then you could start immediately (and the mum not using childcare tax credits) and you could register on the Voluntary part of The Childcare Register (which is random inspections). Then once your registration is through, then the mum can use Childcare Tax Credits to part-pay your salary (as you would be working in the child's own home for specific hours on specific days, my view is that you would be an Employee).

Thank you for that. I've just found out that I can't register until I've completed a first aid course. Does anyone know of a quick/inexpensive way to do this? Thank you.

St Johns Ambulance runs courses at weekends in some areas. Course cost varys by area... in my area it is around £80-£90. Use the course finder at the bottom of the SJA Early Years First Aid page.

In my area, the next course available is in Farnham at £72.34+Vat cost, in late July.

I presume you are looking at going ahead with The Childcare Register, not Early Years Register. Do you already meet the other criteria - such as Common Core Training, have insurance (Morton Michel may be able to arrange that - call them and explain the situation).

You will need the full paediatric first aid which is a twelve hour course, the ones local to us are either 2 Saturdays or split over 4 evenings 6 - 9pm it's £50 in this area with St Johns Ambulance, you will need to renew every 3years to keep registration valid.

you need to take a refresher course every year now....
New condition as of this year.

Thanks everyone

Guide to registration on the Childcare Register says:
"People must renew their first aid certificate every three years after the date the training was completed. Childcarers may wish to make sure relevant people undertake refresher courses annually."

"People must renew their first aid certificate every three years" - that is must so we have to do that to meet registration requirements.

may wish is not the same thing in my view... while refresher courses are all well and good, reality is that most childcarers will repeat the 12-hour course every 3 years.