Childminding
The Early Years team works to support people to become childminders in Reading.
To work as a childminder with children from birth to five in Reading you must also:
- Attend a briefing session (see below)
- Complete a relevant training course such as Childminder Introductory Training
- Attend an approved 12 hour paediatric first aid and 3 hour universal safeguarding training course
What you need to know
To become a childminder you must:
- Enjoy being with children and have patience and warmth
- Gain an understanding of child development; follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework. These are standards you must meet for the development and care of children up to age five
- Be able to support children with specific needs, such as food allergies, asthma or speech delay
- Be able to keep records, for example, records of a child’s learning
- Know how to keep your own accounts and pay your income tax
Not everyone can become a childminder or childcarer. Some things can disqualify you from registering as a childminder or childcarer:
- If you’ve been barred from working with children
- If you live in the same home as someone who is disqualified
- If you’ve been refused registration in the past.
To register as a childminder you must attend a childminder pre-registration briefing. We offer regular briefing sessions (free to Reading Borough Council residents and £20 to others).
Our childminder briefing session takes about two hours and must be paid for at least one week before the session.
At the childminder briefing session you’ll learn about:
- if childminding would suit you and your family
- how you can become a registered childminder
- the Introduction to Childminding Practice course
- other childcare options such as becoming a registered nanny or after-school childminder.
Click here to book on a childminder briefing session.
Briefing dates for 2025:
Monday 6 January 10-11.30am
Monday 3 February 1-2.30pm
Thursday 6 March 6-7.30pm
Wednesday 2 April 10-11.30am
Thursday 8 May 1-2.30pm
Wednesday 4 June 6.30-8pm
Friday 4 July 10-11.30am
Monday 1 September 1-2.30pm
Wednesday 1 October 6.30-8pm
Wednesday 5 November 10-11.30am
Thursday 4 December 1-2.30pm
Course cost: £150 for Reading Borough Council residents (£200 for others).
This introductory course is currently being delivered in person and all three sessions must be attended. There are no assignments, only what you need to prepare for your registration visit from Ofsted.
This course prepares learners in setting up and establishing a childminding business and is run by qualified tutors experienced in childminding and early years practice.
Subjects covered:
- Early Years Foundation Stage
- Being healthy and staying safe
- Learning environment
- Inclusion
- Behaviour
- The business side of childminding
Course information:
The next childminder introductory course will be delivered on Wednesday 26 February, Thursday 20 March and Thursday 27 March 2025, all at 9.30am-1.30pm (all sessions must be attended) held at Committee room 1, ground floor, Civic Offices, Bridge St, Reading, RG1 2LU.
Click here to book on an introductory course.
Read the training cancellation policy here.
Contact: childminding@brighterfuturesforchildren.org or 0118 937 3168.
You should take into consideration the time it will take to complete the mandatory training and preparation work required before you are able to start working as a childminder.
It is not practical for babies or children to attend these sessions.
To register as a childminder you will need to complete the Ofsted application process.
Registering usually takes up to:
- 12 weeks for childminders and home childcarers
- 25 weeks for a childcare provider on domestic or non-domestic premises.
Further information can be found here.
From September 2023, a £600 start-up grant is available for those who register with Ofsted. This grant can be back-claimed for those who registered on or after 15 March 2023. Find out more here: childminder grants scheme.
Childminders in Reading are offered support and information from the Early Years Team to help them meet regulatory requirements.
Childminders in Reading can also join our Childminder Partnership to receive enhanced support to raise the standards of their provision.
Childminder Partnership is FREE until your first Ofsted inspection and includes:
- Termly advisory support in your own home – with help around policies and procedures, signposting to local informationand support with inspection preparation
- Regular childminder networks
- Wide range of training
- Business advice – funded spaces available, local childcare market, support with advertising and help managing risk and change
- Telephone support
- Dedicated email contact
Contact us childminding@brighterfuturesforchildren.org
This is a chance to meet, chat and discuss topical items of interest with your peers and early years advisors. These meetings ensure that you are kept up to date with any legislative changes and Ofsted requirements that may have an impact on your practise. A portion of the meeting is used to provide CPD.
Attendance at these meetings can be counted as part of your professional development and evidence towards the Leadership and Management aspect of Ofsted inspections.
- Funding calendar
- Funding FAQ
- GDPR
- Language monitoring tool
- Newsletter
- Partnership agreement
- Policies
- Portal guidance
- Providers agreement
- Parental agreements
- Trackers
Please note the application deadline for the childminder start-up grant scheme is 31 March 2025.
New childminders who wish to apply for the grant will need to finalise their Ofsted or CMA registration by 31 March 2025. However, it’s recognised that in some circumstances childminder registration may be delayed due to registration checks (for example, GP health checks) taking longer than expected. For this reason, an applicant who submits their registration to Ofsted or a CMA by 3 January 2025 will still be eligible to apply for the grant if completion of their registration is delayed beyond 31 March 2025 for reasons relating to the completion of registration checks. In these cases, it will require Ofsted or the CMA to confirm that a registration has been delayed for these reasons.
The Childminder Start-up Grant Scheme remains open for applications. The scheme supports new childminders by providing grant funding to help with the cost of setting up their own businesses.
Further information about applying for the grant can be found here: Apply for a childminder start-up grant – GOV.UK
The scheme will be available to all new childminders who have completed their registration on or after 15 March 2023. Individuals who have previously been registered as childminders and wish to re-register into the sector may also apply for the scheme. There must be at least a 12-month gap between the date of their previous registration being cancelled and their new registration being finalised.
See also the key documents below:
Be part of something BIG
For more information about early years careers, visit the government’s Early Years Careers website.