A childminder is someone who is registered by Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education) in their own home to care for unrelated children under the age of 8 for more than 2 hours per day for reward.
Nationally, childminders currently make up the largest group of childcare providers.
Childminders are permitted to care for up to 6 children at any one time. They can care for 3 children under 5 (only one baby under 1 year old) and 3 children aged between 5 and 8.
Group childminders are where 2 or more people are registered together and can look after larger numbers of children. Some childminders also work with an assistant. More and more men are becoming childminders, either working with partners or alone. Some people are shocked to learn this, however, there are many benefits to children having a positive male role model.
Hear from Haringey's childminders
Why choose a childminder?
Childminders can offer:
- individual care, sometimes even one to one, where time can be spent interacting with your child - whether that's having a cuddle, singing nursery rhymes, learning through messy or creative play or helping with homework
- flexible hours – usually earlier or later starts than day nurseries and out of school clubs can offer. Some childminders can offer weekends and shift work patterns
- home-based care
- low adult to child ratios
- continuity of care – from just a few weeks right through to secondary school
- meet the individual needs of your baby/child, adapting where possible to the routines of your child
- flexible support for children with additional needs
- social outings to toddler groups and childminder drop-ins
- real life learning, in a community environment, with regular trips to the local libraries, shops, parks and other facilities
- care within a mixed age environment, with brothers and sisters cared for who are pre-school and school aged, in a family environment
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