For so many parents in the UK, childminders are essential to modern life. They are educators, caring professionals and a trusted part of what makes family life go. And they are increasingly in demand, making them an excellent career option for anyone interested in providing education, fun play and quality care in their homes. Now is the time to start thinking about being a childminder! Here, we provide the answers to the top questions about embarking on a career as a childminder, in a post sponsored by childminding agency tiney.
What is a childminder?
A registered childminder is a childcare professional who works from their own home caring for a small group of children. Some childminders take on assistants so that they can care for more children.
How many children can I look after as a childminder?
The number of children and their ages that you can look after is set by Ofsted regulations. As one registered childminder you can have:
- 6 children under the age of 8
- Of those 6 children, 3 can be under the age of 5
- Of those 3 only 1 can be under the age of 1
How easy is it to become a childminder?
The rewarding job of being a childminder means you are specially trained to look after children and provide stellar care and education in your home. You can expect to do some training and register with the government.
You can speed up the process by becoming a childminder with tiney, an Ofsted registered childminding agency. Sign up to become a childminder with tiney and they support you through training and help you set up your tiney home. You’ll also be a part of the tiney community of childminders, sharing ideas, information and support to support your new career. Rather than requiring money up front, tiney uses a revenue sharing plan, which they call a membership fee.
What qualifications do you need to be a childminder?
You’ll need to be able to meet the requirements for Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework–2 and Ofsted’s Compulsory Childcare Register Requirements. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/childminders-and-childcare-providers-register-with-ofsted/registration-requirements, as well as some other licensing requirements – all in service to preparing you to handle any situation that arises.
Where can I be a tiney childminder?
To enjoy the benefits of being a tiney childminder currently, you’ll need to be based in London, Kent, Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.
Tiney has plans to continue expanding across the country. If they aren’t in your area yet, get in touch and they’ll let you know when they are.
What does it cost to become a childminder?
There are initial and regular costs to becoming a childminder. Don’t be daunted! By getting organised you can be prepared for one-off and recurring costs and ensure your business is well-run and fully compliant. If you are part of the tiney network, they will cover the majority of your costs.
Some of the costs to keep in mind:
- Ofsted registration fee every year
- Criminal record and health checks
- First aid course
- Disclosure and barring service check (DBS) for everyone over the age of 16 who lives or works in your home
- Insurance, including public liability insurance and coverage for house and car insurance to include business use
- Safety equipment – smoke alarm for each floor of your home, first aid kit(s), fire blanket, etc
- Additional child equipment – aka the fun stuff: toys, car seats, travel cots, pushchairs, etc
How long does it take to become a childminder?
People who sign up with tiney can become childminders in as little 5 weeks (!) or take their time and do it in 5 months.
How much do childminders earn?
How much you earn depends on how many children you want to take on, what hours you work and what you set as your hourly rate. As a tiney home leader, you can earn up to £40k per year. Naturally you don’t always have parent clients who want full-time care and may not always fill your available hours. Tiney reports that many of their members earn up to £5,000 a month.
I have a flat, what are childminding house requirements?
There are some basic space requirements – but you needn’t have a mansion and sprawling garden to become a childminder. Many tiney childminders have one-bedroom flats!
Children under 2 years: 3.5 square metres per child
2 year olds: 2.5 square metres per child
2 to 5 year olds: 2.3 square metres per child
Here’s how some tiney childminders’ homes and gardens look:
Find out more
Find out more about tiney and how you can become a childminder, providing care and quality education to children in your home!
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