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Registered under the Children Act, a childminder will usually have done a short,
pre-registration course and have undergone police and health checks, which will not only
be carried out on her, but also on those over 16 who are living with her. You should make
sure you see her certificate of registration and check that it is up to date. You can
obtain a list of registered childminders in your area through your social services
department.
Depending upon the size of their home, childminders may care for:
- 3 children under five, of whom not more than one should be under one year, or
- 6 children between five and seven (and no under-fives), or
- 6 children under eight, of whom only three may be under five, and one under one year
Advantages
- Childminders are usually mothers themselves, which is viewed by many parents as an asset
- Your child will have the companionship of other children in a home environment
- Some childminders will take children part-time. A few also take children at weekends or
early evenings
- Charges tend to be lower than nurseries or nannies, but expect to pay a higher hourly
rate for a baby than for an older child
- Many childminders arrange a number of activities and outings for the children in their
care
Disadvantages
- You have to take the baby to the minder, which may mean early starts to the day
- You may not agree entirely with the childminder’s views on key issues such as
feeding and discipline. It's important to discuss these issues when choosing a childminder
- Childminders do not usually take babies while they are unwell
- Good childminders are often busy and may have a waiting list
- You may have to go and visit quite a number of minders before finding the right one
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