One of the most critical decisions that working parents of young children have to make is selecting the best childcare facility for their kids. Suppose you do not have family members or relatives willing to look after your child. In that case, you might have to look for other childcare facilities.
There are many options to look for – nannies, nurseries, or a childminder.
In this article, we will tell you all that you need to know about a childminder and what is a childminder, so that you are able to make an informed decision.
What is a Child Minder?
So, what is a childminder? A childminder is one who looks after one or more children under the age of 8 in a domestic setting for more than two hours per day.
Childminders can easily be found in any neighborhood. They perform various functions, like planning meals, arranging activities, outings, picking children from schools or nurseries, etc.
The Office inspects a childminder for Standards in Education, Children’s Services, and Skills, and they get registered only if they fulfill the requirements expected of a childminder. So, if you are considering a registered childminder, you are safe to go.
What are the Pros of Using a Childminder?
There are many pros to using a childminder.
- Personalized care
Since childminders are allowed to care for a maximum of six children at the same time below the age of eight, your child will get personalized attention.
- Flexibility
As most of the childminders are self-employed, they are more malleable with their customers’ schedules.
- Good developmental environment
Many childminders arrange various stimulating activities for the kids that keep them engaged and ensure the optimum development of children. Also, often children stay in mixed-age groups, which fosters cooperation among them.
- Backup is available
If your childminder is unavailable or ill, she can easily suggest a backup childminder. This is because childminders in an area are often connected to each other.
- Childminders may be parents themselves.
Being a parent, they are more experienced with the nuances of reading children and can take better care of a child’s physical and mental well-being.
- Easy to find
Childminders are easily available in any locality. Also, you can establish a personal connection with them. This gives you a sense of security for your child.
- Stable, long-term connection
In many cases, childminders look after a child from nursery till secondary school. This fosters a stable and trustable relationship between the two. The child feels safer and homely under the childminder.
What are the Cons of using a Childminder?
- Childminders prioritize their own children.
If your childminder is a parent herself, she may prioritize taking care of her own children over others. Though they are professionals and registered childminders fulfill the duties expected of them, this thought may bother parents.
- Cost
Though this may sometimes be cheaper than other childcare facilities, it does incur a good amount on you.
- Readjustment of time
Unlike in the case of a nanny coming to your home to attend to your kid, a childminder is attending the kids in her home. You may have to wake up your kid early to drop her at the childminder. Consequently, the child would need to sleep early as well.
You may miss out on your kid’s best hour.
Childminder vs Nanny
The difference between a childminder vs nanny is a Childminder is a childcare provider usually with training in early child education whose home is inspected every two years by the OFSTED inspectors to make sure the home is safe and properly equipped. Childminders look after multiple children of different age groups under the age of twelve in their home thus making the cost of childcare more affordable.
While a Nanny is a childcare provider who comes to the parents’ home to look after the children and will looks only after your own children (in rare cases bring their own) provides one on one attention to the children and therefore is able to charge more. A nanny is an employee, so parents get to set the schedule and the child daily routine. A Nanny is not OFSTED inspected but a background check can be done.
Childminder vs Daycare
The difference between a Childminder vs Daycare is a childminder is an individual, usually a mom whose home is inspected every 2 years by the OFSTED to make sure the home is safe and well equipped to welcome and care for children who varies of different ages. Childminder hours are flexible allowing for overnight stay but there is no backup if the childminder is ill.
Parents only pay the childminder for the hours the child is care for. A daycare is a licensed organization/program who look after the care of newborn to age 5yrs old children. The program offers multiple caregivers to care for your child unlike a childminder, in the case of an illness there is a backup care giver. Daycare hours are not flexible, and a set time is put in place all year long.
What are Questions to ask before hiring a Childminder?
The choice of the right childminder depends upon your specific needs – you, your child, your schedule, etc. Hence, it is important to ask some fundamental questions before appointing a childminder. These questions help you go for the right child care for your kid.
What are the qualifications of the childminder?
A childminder should fulfill the requirements issued by the local council. Some of the skills expected are food hygiene training, safeguarding training, first-aid, etc.
What does their inspection report say?
As already mentioned, OFSTED assesses childminders periodically. Ask for the report of their last inspection and go through it mindfully.
What do their previous customers have to say?
Responses from previous employers help you get a clear picture of the services provided by the childminder.
How many children are they looking after at the time?
The number of children, as well as the age of the children under the childminder, will help you evaluate whether your child will get adequate care and attention or not. Besides, if your child is an odd one out in terms of age, she might feel left out and unwelcomed.
Are they parents themselves?
As pointed out earlier, parents become concerned if their kid is getting ample care if the childminder has her own kids to look after.
However, being a parent may be a more positive factor than negative as such caretakers are more experienced in child care.
How do they plan the day of the children under them?
What activities they conduct with children to keep them engaged helps you get a picture of whether the environment is suitable for your kid.
How do they keep their place safe?
Make sure the home environment of the childminder is safe for kids. Ask them how often they carry out risk-assessment to prevent kids from any potential threat like electrical wires, flammable objects, etc. If they own a swimming pool, you need to be more cautious.
Do they work with assistants?
According to guidelines, assistants can attend to children for a maximum of two hours on their own. Also, make sure whether the assistant is suited for the job or not.
How do they keep parents informed?
It is very important for parents to be abreast of their child’s development. How the childminder keep record should be clarified beforehand.
Childminder Salary?
A childminder salary is based on three things, the number of children she cares for, the frequency and the Location
Childminder Salary by Location
| Location | Hourly Rate | National Average Salary |
| United State | $25 USD | $51,826 |
| United Kingdom | £10 | £30,000 |
| Ireland | €10 | €30,000 |
Final Thoughts
Finding the right childminder may be a daunting experience for parents. It is difficult for any parent in the world to leave their child under someone else’s supervision. Even if you find the best caretaker for your little one, concern and worry would still linger in your mind, and this is natural.
Keep your cool, be patient, and your search for the perfect childminder will definitely reach a positive conclusion. Hope this article was helpful in helping you to better understand what is a childminder.