Working as a Childminder

Woman: I’m a registered childminder and I care for other people’s children, whilst they go to work.

Man: We provide a service for parents to leave their children. Within that you have to be flexible because some parents work long hours as well, so therefore you have to cater for a lot of different needs.

Woman: It involves in caring for the children, feeding the children, playing with the children, general education the Foundation stage. The first child comes in at 07.15 from then on we to breakfast club, the children are going off to school. By 9 o’clock we have 6 under 3 within the house, the day continues with snack time, activities, song time, play time, lunch, sleep time, school run again, tea time and then hopefully by 7 the day is finished.

Man: After a couple of years, as the business was growing I was able to purchase a transit van with 9 seats, which enables me to pick 8 children up from schools and ferry them about here, there and everywhere and take all the children we have fulltime out for the day.

Woman: I have devised a parent pack, which I show the parent and they have a read through, generally chat to them and introduce them to the rest of the family and the children that are playing within the setting and then I invite them to come and have a look any day, any time at what we’re doing and then they can make up their own mind and they can stay as long as they like.

Man: As network childminders we’re looked over by Managers in our area, who can pop into our house at any time they like, just to check up and make sure we’re doing our job right and obviously OfSTED covers as well. And of course during the weeks you can go out to parks or groups, down the coast, which is lovely on a summer’s day.

Woman: The good thing about being a registered childminder is the freedom and flexibility I have around my own family and everyday is different, nothings boring, the children are just absolutely wonderful, adorable, we have the down days but most days are really, really good. And it’s a good family atmosphere we’ve got here. 

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