Childminder advice urgently needed please!!!

[Charlotte1984]

Hi all, seeking some urgent help.

I am going back to work in September and my son (who will be aged 4 months) is going to have a childminder 2 days a week.

The search has begun in earnest but wanted some help/advice on what credentials the childminder should have as minimum. Also what questions should we be asking.

Its all very scary! Thanks in advance for all your help.

Hi Charlotte have you tried posting in the CM section or in Chat? You might get some more replies.

Thought you might like this

This might be obvious but have you tried asking for recommendations from people you know? I know not many groups carry on through the holidays but even non-mum friends have nieces and nephews who need looking after so they might know someone? They are assessed by Ofsted now so you can get a decent picture of their professionalism but for me it would be as much about whether I felt I could trust them as anything else.

You could ask for recommendations on MN local too

Do an internet search for childminders in the area you want, or alternatively our local authority also keeps a list (Children and Family department) of registered CMs in the area. Find a few, and go and visit them, see who you like the feel of, who's home you are happy with and what vibe you get.

It is essential that they are Ofsted registered (ask for their Ofsted number and you can read their latest report) and they should also have an infanct first aid qualification.

For the CM herself, I would ask where the child can nap, how she gets children off to sleep, whether she expects you to provide all food, nappies and milk, and whether she charges by the hour or by the day. You may also want to ask what a typical day looks like; do they play inside, play outside, go on visits?

Good luck, there are lots of good ones out there :-)

look at the care commission web site - they should keep a note of all childminders in your area and details of the inspections they have carried out.