Becoming a childminder

How do I become a childminder?

If you're thinking of running your own childminding business, you can use our West Berkshire Directory to find existing childminders in your area and their locations. This will give you an idea of what services are already being offered, and what they currently charge, before making decisions about your own business.

To start the process of becoming a childminder, please contact the Early Years Service Team who will be happy to guide you.

You may also wish to visit the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) website, for more information. Their site also gives you the opportunity to complete some of the required training online.
 

Training

West Berkshire offer childminder training in line with demand. We will update this page when more training is available.

Registering with Ofsted

Anyone who looks after one or more children under the age of 8, to whom they are not related, on domestic premises, for reward and for more than two hours in any day, must register as a childminder.

There are some exemptions, where you may not need to register as a childminder - you can find more information about childminder registration on the GOV.UK website.

As a registered childminder you will receive an Ofsted pre-registration visit and will be inspected by Ofsted on a regular basis. This is to ensure that the care and learning provided meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and the Ofsted childcare requirements. During the robust pre-registration visit, the inspector will check to ensure that you are capable of caring for children and meeting the requirements from day one.

If you are a registered childminder with a 'good' or 'outstanding' Ofsted inspection outcome, you can receive government funding for the placement of disadvantaged 2 year olds and all 3 and 4 year olds. You can also register to receive funding before your first Ofsted inspection, following your registration visit.