Work Matters: A day in the life ... Julia Bussell, Childminder

Name: Julia Bussell

Job title: Childminder

Qualifications: NVQ 3 Care, Learning and Development

Organisation: Kids at Courtlands (own childminding business)

It was the experience of working as an assistant to a childminder several years ago that gave me the idea of becoming trained and registered to run a childminding business of my own. I've now been doing so for four years since completing my training during the time I was pregnant with my youngest child, so that I could be ready to register after my daughter was born.

Being a member of my local Children Come First childminding network has enabled me to link with other childminders in my area and offers me support if and when I need it.

I try to make the days interesting and varied for the children, aged from just a few months to nine years, mixing home-based activity with outdoor trips. At weekends and evenings I do my planning, training and preparation of activities.

6.30am: I risk-assess all areas, ensuring all safety gates are in place and any hazards removed.

7:00am: As the children arrive, I talk to each parent, asking about any particular issues or needs the child has for that day. The older children help me to prepare breakfast and then sit together and eat.

8:30am: I drop the older child off at school and the toddlers to playgroup. As I live in a very rural area, they all go to different locations. Some days I drive as many as 40 miles on this trip.

9:30am: I take the younger children to either a local soft play session in our nearby town or to the playground. Weather permitting, I try to give the children an outside play experience every day.

10:30: We prepare snacks and the younger children settle down for a nap or quieter free-play activity.

11:00am: I try to cover each area of learning with varied activities like cooking, rhymes, music, computer activities, making sure they are appropriate for the different ages and stages of development of each child.

12:00pm: This is playgroup pick-up time. I think it is important for the children to have some time in a group where they are likely to be with children from the area where they will go to school. We then eat lunch around the table together.

1:15pm: Quiet time and nap - I make sure the time after lunch is quieter when we read and do jigsaws.

2:00pm: I plan a special activity around special days, topics or themes. I collect the older children from school and then have snack time. I also help the older children with any homework they may have.

4:45pm: I talk to the parents about their child's day as they are collected. Then I straighten up the house ready for my family time.

WHAT IT TAKES

Childminders have a real challenge to provide comfortable and nurturing home-based care with appropriate learning and development for children of a wide range of ages.

It is essential to have considerable underpinning knowledge and understanding of children and the necessary theories of learning and development, as well as the skill to create and run a business that meets the needs and expectations of parents and children.

Registered childminders are required to be trained in home-based care before registration, while many continue to train to sometimes very high levels. It can be mistakenly thought that this type of childcare is not like that received at nursery or pre-school. However, the Ofsted inspected standards and educational levels are exactly the same as any other provider who is tasked with reaching and operating within the framework of the EYFS and Every Child Matters requirements.

Organisation, observation, planning, time management and communication skills are the keys to success in running a childminding business. Being able to develop mutually trusting relationships with parents and children and provide rich and stimulating experiences on a daily basis requires flexibility, an approachable manner and a creative and energetic mind.

Putting knowledge into action with regard to meeting, and being directly responsible for, all statutory requirements for safeguarding children, fire and safety regulations, inclusion and diversity is a sole responsibility for the childminder.

Business management training is useful to provide the childminder with the knowledge of how to remain resilient as an operational business, especially in difficult economic times.

Some childminders expand their business and employ other members of staff. This enables them to register for more children and would require knowledge of appropriate employment arrangements.

There are very useful and influential local and national organisations that offer support to childminders, such as the National Childminding Association (www.ncma.org.uk) and local Children Come First childminding networks(www.ncmaccf.org.uk).

By Tina Jefferies, workforce development specialist for Red Space, www.redspacecompany.com