Before starting childminding, you must register with Ofsted (The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills). You must also pass Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and complete first aid and childminder training (Early Years Courses). We will also need insurance. All of these will have an associated fee. The amount will depend on the age of the children you plan to look after, plus other factors such as the number of adults in your home.

These costs are approximate but should be considered:

Registration with Ofsted: An annual fee of £35 (Early Years Register) or £114 (Childcare Register). If you register on both the Early Years and the Childcare Registers, you will pay one fee of £35.

• Doctors’ fees – Health declaration: £0 to over £100.
• DBS checks £48.00 or more per person plus £13 for the annual update service.
• First aid course: £70 or more.
• Safeguarding training
• Public Liability Insurance: £50 or more - It is a legal requirement to have appropriate public liability insurance to protect you and the children and families who access your service.
• Food hygiene: £20
• Cost of resources
• Environment changes – for example, safety catches and stair gates.

The Government website has a breakdown of these costs.

New childminders can apply for a start-up grant of £600 to recover the costs of registering as a childminder.

Once you are registered, support will be available from various teams at Somerset Council. For example, Curriculum and Literacy Team, Early Years SEND (Inclusion), Somerset Early Years Alliance, and Education Engagement Service.

You will :

• Receive regular early years updates by newsletters, Facebook, and childminder meetings.
• Access to useful documents and resources.
• Support and guidance from a local authority officer.

You do not need specific qualifications or prior experience to become a childminder. The registration process includes childcare and first aid training:

• 12-hour Paediatric First Aid Course.
• An Introduction to Child Protection course approved by the Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership.
• Early Years Foundation Stages (EYFS) training – This is not statutory however you will need to be able to demonstrate to Ofsted that you have appropriate qualifications, training, skills, knowledge, and a clear understanding of your role and responsibilities to provide good-quality early years provision. You may wish to complete the training offered at Somerset Council.

As a childminder, you are self-employed. The amount you earn depends on how many children you can look after, the hourly rates you charge and the number of hours you work.

Eligible working parents and carers can use their government-funded childcare entitlement on childminding services.

Childminders who register to deliver Government-funded childcare will be paid the funding by Somerset Council. The Somerset base funding rates for 2024/25 are:

• £9.78 for 9 months plus
• £7.16 for two-year-olds
• £5.23 for three and four-year-olds

This is mostly dependent on the time it takes you to complete the registration process, checks and training. Once you have applied to Ofsted, you can expect the initial Ofsted registration visit in around 9 weeks.

You will be required to keep some written documents and records. You will need to have a good standard of English and be able to share information effectively. Good communication skills are vital.   Can I work from home?

To qualify as a childminder, you will be looking after other families’ children in your home or someone else’s home. You are free to organise trips to places like the park, beach or library.

You will need to obtain written permission from your landlord to childmind in rented property.

No, but the amount of space you have available may limit the number of children that you can register to care for. This information is available in the Early Years Foundation Stages (EYFS) Statutory Framework.

You do not need a garden, but it is really important that children have access to outdoor spaces every day. Your home must be a safe environment for young children.

It is your responsibility to demonstrate to the Ofsted Inspector that your home is a safe and suitable environment for the children in your care. It is advisable to complete risk assessments, including outings to local areas like parks..

A childminder needs an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Any household members over the age of 16 must also have an enhanced DBS check.

You will be provided with a list of training providers in the area. The choice is yours, but you must make sure that the course you complete meets the statutory requirements as set in the Appendix of the Early Years Foundation Statutory Framework.

Yes, you will be self-employed and will need to register with the Inland Revenue, complete accounts, and tax returns.

You will need to inform your home insurance company, car insurance company (if applicable) and mortgage provider of the intention to childmind.

Childminding will affect the whole family. They must understand the commitment you are undertaking.

Please consider:

• Are your children happy to share their home, their parent, and their toys?
• Is your partner aware that some children may arrive before he/she leaves for work and that some may still be there when they arrive home at the end of the day?
• Childminding may affect your entitlement to benefits. Check with Job Centre Plus.

Please contact EarlyYearsTeam@somerset.gov.uk if you have further questions.