Nursery Management: Childminding - Adapting the model to fit

The traditional idea of a childminder based in their own home as a solo operator is no longer the only model for the business.

Childminders are developing the scope of their services by working in teams, combining care for young children with wraparound care for older children, and even working across more than one site.

Ofsted paved the way for this in 2008, when it introduced the registration category of 'childcare on domestic premises'. The purpose of this was to make clear the difference between childminding - where up to three childminders or assistants may work together at any one time in the home - and provision where four or more childminders, or assistants, are involved in caring for children in the home.

Leeds-based childminder Gillian Hayward is registered under both categories. She has been a childminder since 1995 and runs Oakwood Acorns, a business which today consists of a staff of 12 operating from three different houses, all close to each other and all registered as childcare on domestic premises.

Ms Hayward's service provides day and sessional care for children from birth to five, and holiday cover and after-school care for older children.

She says, 'Customer demand has fuelled our expansion and we currently have approximately 60 children who attend across our three settings.

'We are well known within our local community and our uniqueness as being "in between" a childminder and a nursery means that we stand out and people remember us. Parents really like the combination of a fully qualified workforce and a home-based setting and that we are graded outstanding as both individual childminders and as a group setting.

'The fact that our group inspections are interspersed with our individual childminder inspections gives parents confidence that our performance is consistent over time, rather than them having to wait three or four years until the next inspection.'

Ms Hayward says that while she has a waiting list and could consider a fourth setting, she is currently investigating other opportunities.

'We are exploring the possibilities of branching out into consultancy work and delivering training, and I have recently undertaken our first support visit to another home-based setting. By supporting other settings, we can make a difference to an even greater number of children.'

PROVIDING STABILITY

Other childminders have chosen to move out of their own homes entirely. Two years ago, Amanda Moore and Janet Shepherd bought a house for their business A and J Tots to Teens.

'My own house was getting a real battering, so we bought premises close by to ensure we kept our existing families' business,' Ms Shepherd says.

However, she emphasises that there is a bureaucratic process involved when establishing a dedicated site for childminding.

'This involves going through your local authority to fill out a Change of Use planning form, and then informing Ofsted of the change. The forms involve a lot of questions and have to be carefully filled out.'

But Ms Shepherd believes it was well worth the hard work. 'The children now have their own home and have a real sense of ownership. They tell us what they want and we listen.'

Care is provided for children up to the age of 15, and a lot of business comes through word of mouth. A and J Tots to Teens Childcare has a strong reputation for the flexibility and uniqueness of its service.

Operating in a partnership means that Ms Shepherd and Ms Moore can divide their time between the children, with one perhaps playing with the older children while the other looks after the younger children. Bonding effectively with all their charges is very important.

'The children spend time with us both', explains Ms Moore. 'In a nursery, children would be moved between rooms and may experience different carers. They may not gel with all of them, and take a while to settle in. In our setting, it is just the two of us. We are not going anywhere and this gives the children a real sense of stability.'

FINDING A PARTNER

When Thelma Dionisiou's childminding business became busy she took on an assistant to help, and she is currently aiming to convert the basement in her house into an additional childminding area.

Her assistant is registered with Ofsted, is DBS checked, and previously ran her own after-school club. Ms Dionisiou appreciates the extra pair of hands, as well as the adult company.

For Cheltenham-based Amy Whyte, an ideal option was to enlist her husband as a working partner when she left her job as a nursery nurse to stay at home as a childminder.

The couple take children from age six weeks to age 11, offering after-school care, respite care, term-time-only care and holiday cover, as well as providing flexible care for two-, threeand four-year-olds.

Ms Whyte says, 'Parents who bring their children to us really like the set-up. They think it's great that their children have both male and female role models - it's a family environment and a real home from home.'

CHILDMINDERS' PROTEST

The Government's move to introduce childminder agencies as part of More Great Childcare is something many childminders have spoken out against.

Agencies are being positioned as a 'one-stop shop', which the Government says will help childminders with training, business support, advice and finding clients.

Of particular concern to many are the implications for Ofsted inspections. As part of the future arrangement, agencies rather than individual childminders will be inspected. A question mark remains over inspection arrangements for those childminders who choose to remain independent.

The Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) stands by its opposition to the proposals.

'PACEY believes that childminder agencies will not help to raise quality of care for children or deliver the promised cost savings for families,' says chief executive Liz Bayram.

'More importantly, PACEY would like to know how the Government intends to ensure all the childminders who choose not to join an agency will be given support to continuously improve so all families have access to high-quality, flexible childminding if they choose it.'

One positive result of the agency proposals is that childminders have become more vocal in the sector. 'Childminders have a strong ethos and one unintentional result of the controversial proposals is that this has been strengthened,' says Ms Bayram.

www.pacey.org.uk

CASE STUDY: PENNY'S PLACE

Penny Webb and her daughter Michelle Reaves work together as childminders from Ms Webb's home in Kidderminster.

'I set up the environment each morning,' Ms Webb says. 'The childminding day starts when Michelle arrives with her daughter, along with the other children she has collected, at about 8am.

'On arrival, she reads any entries I have made in the staff communication book, and writes down any important information from the handover with parents of the children she has collected.

'There tends to be comings and goings from parents in the first hour, so it is mainly free play until all the children have arrived. On a typical day, we have six children, who are all under-fives at the moment.

'We follow the children's interests, so throughout the day we will change the environment and activities in line with those interests and their development levels.

We usually go out during the day, and regularly have special days out.

'The fact that there are two of us is very useful, particularly if one of the babies is crying or needs a nap, as one of us can be with the baby while the other one does other things with the other children.

'Also at meal times, one of us can prepare food while the other reads stories or sings with the children.

'When it comes to the children's development or behaviour, it is really helpful to have someone else to discuss any concerns with.

'Michelle takes some of the children home at about 4.30pm and then heads home herself. I continue childminding until about 6:30pm when the last child goes home.'