How do you become a childminder? What qualifications do you need?

[Stars22]

What qualifications do you need to become a childminder. I am a nanny and my mum is a pre school leader and in the future we were thinking of possibly trying to childmind together. I have NNEB from 2003 and 5 years experience as a nanny, and my mum has been on various training courses through out 20 years in childcare and we both have in date first aid certificates oh and i have a current CRB and I am registered with OFSTED. Do you need a specific qualification or would something like what we have be ok? My mum used to be a childminder 20 years ago but obviously an awful lot has changed since then. I know you need to have your house cleared and everyone over 16 needs to be police checked. And i saw a new rule about cooking on the premesis you have to have a certificate or something if you wanted to cook for your mindees? What is this?

You have to register as a food provider with environmental health, in my area cm are being inspected by them but not all councils are doing this. We've been advised to do a level 2 food hygiene course and they want us to do manual handling & health & safety.
You'll need health checks, the premises checked by Ofsted, peadiatric first aid, they may want to do the CRB's again and everyone has to do the ICP even if you hold another childcare qualification (i think this still applies) You will need to do child protection- safeguarding and probably a EYFS training course unless you've already done one.

you need to do the ICP course before you can start childminding and also have your property inspected and prepare all the paperwork. The ICP course is normally 6-8 weeks long for about 2 hours a week. the ICP is a little like teaching your grandmother to suck eggs IYKWIM !!!! OFSTED may require another CRB cos they are just weird like that! LOL you need a doctor to fill in a form too for OFSTED and all this needs to be done regardless of your qualifications, when i started childminding i had been a BTEC qualified nursery manager for over 10 years and still had to do all the above!

Ok thanks for the replies seems like it would take a long time for us to get that sorted then. What does ICP stand for? Also my first aid is first aid for childcarers, does that count?

ICP is Introduction to Childcare Practice.

If it's a 12 hour paediatric first aid then it'll be fine. Theoretically it should be one for your current OFSTED registration anyway.

All CRBs need to be OFSTED CRBs so you might escape doing another one as you're OFSTED registered already.

Someone on here may have gone from the vOCR to the compulsory register but I'd be intrigued to know how easy it is and whether it makes any difference at all.

im new to this site and am looking to do an ICP course..
I was wondering if anybody new of one in the not too distant future.. I am based in Hatfield, Herts but willing to travel a bit..
Hoping someone can help.. manythanks

What qualifications do you need to become a childminder?

• A recognised paediatric (early years) first aid certificate,

-completion of an Introduction to Childminding course within 6 months of registration, -a level 2 certificate in food hygiene (or equivalent) -evidence of attendance on a basic Safeguarding Children Course.

I am a nanny and my mum is a pre school leader and in the future we were thinking of possibly trying to childmind together.
That's a good idea.

I have NNEB from 2003 and 5 years experience as a nanny, and my mum has been on various training courses through out 20 years in childcare and we both have in date first aid certificates and i have a current CRB and I am registered with OFSTED. Do you need a specific qualification or would something like what we have be ok? You have more relevant qualifications than I do! The only one missing for both you and your mum is the introduction to childminding course.

My mum used to be a childminder 20 years ago but obviously an awful lot has changed since then. I know you need to have your house cleared and everyone over 16 needs to be police checked.
That's correct.

And I saw a new rule about cooking on the premesis you have to have a certificate or something if you wanted to cook for your mindees?
Again, that's correct. If you cook meals or prepare snacks, you need to register (free of charge) with your Borough's Environmental Health Department and idealy, complete a level 2 qualification in food hygiene. If you don't, the Environmental Health staff will require that you do undertake such a course following an inspection, so you might as well complete a course prior to their inspection IYSWIM.

Your Local Authority - following your attendance to a pre-reg session - will give you details on how to book on a ICP (or Introduction to Childminding) course.