- Looking to start your own childcare business?
- Want to work from home?
- Looking for a rewarding career in childcare?
- Passionate about caring for children?
If the answer is 'yes' to any of the above questions, then starting a childcare business is ideal
for you.
This guide explains how to start your childcare business in the UK.
Where Do You Start?
You must be registered as a childcarer in England and
Wales meaning you must meet the standards set out by Ofsted. Ofsted is responsible for registering and
inspecting your childcare business making sure it meet their standards.
Your home will be inspected
by an Ofsted officer making sure it is safe for children and... you... are a suitable person to look
after children. You must pass a First Aid course, complete an introduction course to childminding,
hold a CRB (criminal record bureau) disclosure, have a health check and be insured.
How To Register To Start Your Own Childcare At Home?
What You Need To Know To Start Your Own Childcare
At Home?
How long will it take to get registered as a childcarer?
Ofsted aims to complete all
new registrations in three months.
Will setting up my own childcare business cost me a lot of money?
Most new childcarers receive a start-up grant to help with the cost of setting up their childcare business.
This funding is distributed by your local authority. Visit SureStart for more information (opens in new window).
How many children will I be able to care for?
You are allowed to care for up to six children under 8 years old depending on space
in your home and no more than three children may be under 5 years old.
How do I decide on fees and hours?
As a childcarer you will be self-employed and running your own business. This means you can set your own
working hours and fees. You will also need to organise your own tax and National Insurance contributions, but
childcarers benefit from generous tax allowances and benefits. Visit HM Revenue and Customs website for more information (opens in new window).
Where To Get Help To Start Your Own Childcare At Home?
Early Years Team
Each local authority
has an early years team, which is responsible for training, information and support for childcarers. It also
distributes start-up grants for new childcarers. Visit
Childcarelink.gov.uk or call ChildcareLink freephone on 0800 2 346346 for your local early years team phone
number.
Children's Information Service (CIS)
Again, every local authority has a CIS. The CIS gives
out local childcare information to parents. It holds a list of every childcarer in your area and can help you promote
your business. You can also find the details of your CIS by contacting ChildcareLink.
Ofsted
Ofsted is the national governing body in charge of registering
and inspecting childcarers in England and Wales making sure they meet the national standards for childcaring. Visit
Ofsted at Ofsted.gov.uk or call 08456 404045.
Childminding
Groups And Associations
There are hundreds of childcare groups and local associations that always welcome new members.
As well as providing services such as equipment loan schemes. Childcare groups hold social events and drop-in sessions where
you can meet up with other childcarers.
Do You Need To Join A Professional Association To Start
Your Own Childcare At Home?
Yes. Join a recognised association that can offer you quality support in terms of fees,
expenses, contracts, insurance, tax and national insurance, milk refunds and training.
Since starting my childcare
business, I've joined the NCMA (National Childminding
Association... For England and Wales) and I've been offered quality support.
How Can NCMA Help
You To Start Your Own Childcare At Home?
Joining NCMA gives you all the following benefits:
Tailored
Advice
NCMA provides its members with regularly updated information and advice on all aspects of being a registered
childcarer from working out your tax allowances to negotiating a childcare contract.
Free Legal Representation
For peace of mind, as an NCMA member you will be entitled to free legal representation on childcare matters and to free
advice on professional and legal matters.
Who Minds? Magazine
NCMA's colourful quarterly magazine will keep
you up to date with news and issues affecting childcarers, features on child development and offers and giveaways.
Money Saving Offers
Members get up to 50 per cent off NCMA's range of publications and products, specially developed
for childcarers, including childcare contracts, accounts book and child record forms. Plus exclusive products available only
to members.
Specialist Services
You can benefit from many special offers and discounted services from companies
including the Co-operative Bank and Britannia Rescue.
Low Cost Insurance
NCMA offers home and car insurance
tailor-made to childcarers' needs.
Professional Respect
Belonging to professional association lets you easily
show parents and other childcare professionals your commitment to your career.
Public Liability Insurance
As a registered childcarer you must hold public liability insurance. NCMA's insurance policy has been designed by people
who understand childcare.
A Campaigning Voice
NCMA speaks on behalf of all registered and home-based
childcarers in England and Wales and campaigns on issues its members feel strongly about.
Vacancy scheme
NCMA members can join an online vacancy scheme and advertise their vacancies to parents who use Care-4 childcare
vouchers Care-4.co.uk.
Joining NCMA
Most new childcarers receive start-up grant from their early years team to help give their business
the best beginning possible. Many early years teams offer NCMA's Quality Start package, created to support the grants.
As part of your Quality Start package you will receive:
- 12 months' NCMA public liability insurance
- NCMA Accounts Book
- NCMA Accident, Incident and Medication Record Folder
- Pack of
NCMA Childminding Contracts
- Pack of NCMA Child Record Forms
- Fire blanket
- Plus, an attractive, lockable case to keep your contracts, registers, accounts and accident books and all
your other important papers securely.
To receive all this you won't have to part with a penny as
it is directly paid for by the start-up grant. To see if you are eligible for a start-up grant and the Quality Start
package, call your early years team.
You can find its number by calling 0800 2346 346.
Call 0845 880 0044
to join NCMA today or visit NCMA's website -- http://www.ncma.org.
uk -- is also full of useful information about registered childminding.
Postal Address
National Childminding
Association
Royal Court
81 Tweedy Road
Bromley
Kent
BR1 1TG
Tel: 0845 880 0044
Fax: 0845 880
0043
Email: info@ncma.org.uk
Web: http://www.ncma.org.uk
How Can You Develop Your Career?
Childcare offers lots of opportunities to develop your
career. Childcarers must attend an introductory course in home-based childcare as part of their registration as a new
childcarer.
Introduction to Childcare Practice (Home-based) (ICP) is the first unit of the nationally accredited
Diploma in Home-based Childcare (DHC).
There are a further four units of DHC which go together to make the full level
3 qualification. This then provides the underpinning knowledge for the level 3 NVQ in Children's Care, Learning and
Development.
You may also find that your local authority or childcare group offers training on topics ranging
from child protection to messy play. Your local authority may give you the opportunity to complete NCMA Quality First
- a quality assurance scheme that gives you a way to show parents you are offering quality care.
You may also
get the chance to join an NCMA Children Come First quality-assured childminding network that offers you the support
of a network coordinator (who can help you with training, filling vacancies and so on) and other childcarers on the
network.
If you belong to a network, you may be able to train as a community childcarer offering care to children
in need, or as an accredited childcarer who can claim funding for providing early years education to 3- and 4-year-olds.
There are also innovative projects that make the most of childcarers' unique skills. For example, childcarers
in some areas are... offering childcare for families working shifts... working with fathers... and encouraging them
to become registered childcarers... offering care for children whose parents are attending training or hospital.
