Schools, early years and childcare

If you feel a childminder would suit you and your child's needs, you must find the person to meet your requirements.

Some basic tips

• Start looking for a childminder well in advance.
• Make second visits to the people you liked.
• Be clear about what type of care you want.
• Be prepared to spend time settling your child in.
• Decide if you want a childminder near home, near work or on the way to work?
• Contact other parents as referees.
• Take your child with you to see how they get on with the childminder.
• Prepare a list of questions to ask the childminder.

Reasons to choose a childminder

• You need flexible care because you work irregular hours, which do not fit in with a normal 8am-6pm nursery day.
• You want your child to be cared for in a family home.
• You want your child to have one carer.
• You have children of different ages and it’s important they’re cared for together.
• Mixing with large groups of children isn’t a priority right now.

Questions to ask your childminder

• How long have you been childminding?
• What extra training have you done?
• What other children will be with my child, and how old are they?
• Can I have the phone numbers of other parents you work for so I can follow up references?
• Have you joined any quality assurance schemes?
• Do you belong to a childminder network?
• Do you charge for sick days?
• Where will my child sleep? Make sure it is quiet.
• How do you spend the day and how do the other children’s schedules fit in with my child?
• Do you go out on day trips? Where to?
• Do you have properly-fitted car seats?
• What kind of meals and drinks do you give the children?
• Do you keep a file about a child’s progress?
• Will you agree to a trial run (say a couple of mornings) to see how it’s going to work out? Most childminders will agree to this.

Other important questions

• Ask for the childminder’s up-to-date registration, public liability insurance and first aid certificates.
• Check all rooms and gardens are insured; otherwise your child will be excluded from those areas.
• Who is coming and going? Ask how many other adults will be in the house.
• Agree on feeding, learning, TV watching and discipline policies.
• Any contract should cover hours, pay, sickness and holiday pay.
• Your childminder can provide free, part-time early education if they are part of a quality-assured childminder network such as the NCMA Children Come First (CCF) network scheme. Call the National Childminding Association (NCMA) on 0800 169 4486 or visit www.ncma.org.uk for more information on childminder networks.

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