A career in childminding
A registered childminder is a person who looks after one or more children for more than a total of two hours a day in their own home (or on non-domestic premises) for reward.
Becoming a childminder offers numerous benefits, including job satisfaction from positively impacting children's learning and development, from early years to school age. It allows you to work for yourself while meeting family commitments, offering flexibility to set your own working hours and decide how many children you look after within regulations. As your own boss, you can set your own rates of pay and achieve professional status with opportunities to gain recognised qualifications and develop skills through continued professional development.
Additionally, childminding can be a sustainable business, as the government funds early years places for eligible pre-school-aged children and provides other childcare funding support for school-aged children. You also save on childcare and commuting costs unless you work outside your home. Once established, you could consider employing assistants or apprentices or working with a co-childminder to expand your business.
To begin the first steps to becoming a childminder, answer just three questions in the next section.
Are your premises and equipment safe and suitable for childcare?
(If in rented accommodation check with your landlord or housing association that you will be able to run a childminding business from your home. If not, you can childmind from a non-domestic premises such as a community or church hall, school classroom or even a business, with Ofsted approval.)
Yes NoThat’s fantastic
If you worked in the sector before and/ or have a Level 2 (or above) qualification in Childcare and Early Years Education, the next step is to sign up to the ‘Becoming a registered childminder in Hampshire’ information session which explains about Hampshire requirements and what is involved in becoming an Ofsted registered childminder. Please note, this is a briefing not a training course and has no qualification attached. Alternatively, you may wish to work through the requirements that are found on our information page.
That’s good
If you are a parent or have voluntary experience in a caring/early years capacity you are on your way. The next step is to sign up to the ‘‘Becoming a registered childminder in Hampshire’ information session which explains what is involved in becoming an Ofsted registered childminder. Please note, this is a briefing not a training course and has no qualification attached.
Sorry, you must be 18 or over to become a registered childminder [Anyone aged under 17 who looks after children must be supervised at all times by someone aged 18 or over].
If you are not able to make changes to your home and equipment, consider instead becoming an assistant to another childminder, or taking up a position in a nursery, pre-school or out of school club. See Careers in childcare for further information.
We recommend you carry out some voluntary work in a childcare and early years setting before making your decision. Visit our careers in childcare and early years page for more information about volunteering. To find your local childcare setting visit the Hampshire Family Information and Services Hub
What you need to know and do to become a registered childminder
- The process for becoming an Ofsted registered childminder can take between three and six months.
- As an Ofsted registered childminder your registration can also cover being a nanny (‘Home childcarer’) and caring for children in their own home. At the time of registering let Ofsted know if you wish to have this – there is no extra cost.
- For further information to help you through the registration process please see our information page.