This might sound silly but

[desiderata]

I have a friend who lives a few miles from me who wants to become a childminder. She has no children and no experience of young children at all. She has had the first visit from Ofsted and now has asked me what she needs to start. As I have been looking after children since I was 11 and have had children my mind has gone totally blank!!!! I cant think for the life of me what she would really need. I know you are all very helpful so a few suggestions would be useful so I can help her along the wayxx Thank you in anticipationx

[mamasheshe]

do you mean toys or safety things ?

[butterfly]

or bedding? or policies? or paperwork?

[Mookins]

didnt OFSTED explain the sort of things she would need? if not they werent very helpful:(

ask her to think active,multicultural,arts and crafty,

xx

[rickysmiths]

May I ask if she has no children of her own and no experience of children does she want to Register as a Childminder? It seems an odd choice unless she thinks its going to be an easy option to work from home. What has her work experience been?

I know I will be shot down for this but as Childminding is a Home frome Home childcare option. I am a firm believer that one of the basic requirements to be a cm is that you have children of your own, actually more than the NVQ Level 3, a lot of people can pass an exam but it does mean they can work with children.

How if you have no experience with children do you demonstrate to potential customers that you will be able to care for their children? Why would any parent choose to leave their child with someone who has never worked with children?

I think my advise would be at the very least to go and get some experience working with children first.

[desiderata]

Yea when I say a friend I only know her through someone else but I agree with the above I feel that you should have some experience of children. Only trying to help her out as I know Ive got too much stuff and cant see the wood for the trees if you get my meaning. Just thought new minders might be able to helpxx

[sweets]

i have no children but did my NNEB straight from school then was a nanny for 20 years before becoming a childminder. its not neccessary to have your own kids! lol but i do think that you need experience.

she may be better working in a nursery or school for a bit first so at least she gets an idea of the work involved in looking after them.

[singingcactus]

I didn't have my own kids when I started either! I did have experience - but to be fair when I started my first nannying job I did not have experience of caring for kids other than babysitting and youth groups.
You have to do a job first of all to get experience. And I've seen some atrocious parenting so I would not state giving birth to a child as a pre-requisite for being able to be a childminder.

She will work out a lot of what she needs to start on her ICP course. I would just tell her you will talk to her after she has done that so she has somewhere to start from. Other than that, toys, some appropriate sized crockery and cutlery, nappy mat, a place for them to sleep, at least an idea of the safety equipment she will get if she gets a child who requires it. Really not a whole lot.

[curlycathy]

One of the fabbest bestest childminders I know (she knows who she is lol!!) doesn't have children of her own. I really don't see that having children should be a pre-requisite for being a childminder at all.

Whilst I agree to a certain extent that experience with children is useful it is true that you do need to start somewhere - experience is what you get just after you need it and all that:D

Could your friend maybe get some experience with you? Theories are all well and good but practical experience is soooooooo much better I think!

[Cammie Doodle]

I agree that experience is a must, but I don't think you neccesarily need to be a Parent. Hope she get as much pleasure as I have had in this job over the years

[gigglinggoblin]

She will need a darkened room to lie down in and a large glass of wine! She is in for a surprise lol :laughing:

I would go for toys such as -

play kitchen / food toys
dolls with pram
cars
train track
playdough
paints & mark making stuff
building bricks / lego (depending on age she is going for)
musical instruments
books

then add to it as and when children come along, I would ask parents what the children are in to. If she is starting from scratch I would say look at ebay and sort the results 'distance nearest first' you often find big bundles for collection very cheap. That and car boot sales / charity shops.

She may need a potty, changing mat, wipes and a couple of spare nappies.

Pram, highchair, cot, plastic plates and cups or drinking bottles, possibly safety gate depending on her home.

[Doofuz]

With your support she will gain experience and confidence. Good on her for wanting to do possibly one of the best jobs in the world. If she is in the mind that it is an easy job then she is mistaken :laughing: but I am sure she knows in some way how children can be hard work - she used to be one!

I have 10 years experience with working with children and only qualified in June 2008 after starting in 2001. My experience was there for me to complete my NVQ3 within 6 months, without the experience it would have taken longer. I now am team leader in my age group at work and am now looking to become a childminder, which to me is the next obvious step.
I don't have children of my own, I do however have that one extra space that minders with children don't always have...depending on age of their own children. My husband is chuffed to bits with this, as I can take the full 6 so he can retire soon :laughing:

First time mothers may possibly have had no experience, but they learn 'on the job' with only advice from other people and books. Mistakes are made, lessons are learnt but they get there in the end.

I would echo what others have said re toys:

Role play, dressing up, small world, construction, messy play, sand and water, train track, arts and crafts. Go with her to a carboot sale to get all the equipment and advise her on what safety checks and requirements are needed on the equipment. Talk to her about EYFS before she goes on the course so she has some idea of what to expect. If common sense prevails, she will catch on pretty quick. She will get the same advice as we all have from the development officer and Ofsted, and from there she can build on it. I am sure she will be very proud of herself when she has her own business and is learning a new skill - looking after children. Good luck to her.

[rickysmiths]

With your support she will gain experience and confidence. Good on her for wanting to do possibly one of the best jobs in the world. If she is in the mind that it is an easy job then she is mistaken :laughing: but I am sure she knows in some way how children can be hard work - she used to be one!

I have 10 years experience with working with children and only qualified in June 2008 after starting in 2001. My experience was there for me to complete my NVQ3 within 6 months, without the experience it would have taken longer. I now am team leader in my age group at work and am now looking to become a childminder, which to me is the next obvious step.
I don't have children of my own, I do however have that one extra space that minders with children don't. My husband is chuffed to bits with this, as I can take the full 6 so he can retire soon :laughing:

First time mothers may possibly have had no experience, but they learn 'on the job' with only advice from other people and books. Mistakes are made, lessons are learnt but they get there in the end.

I would echo what others have said re toys:

Role play, dressing up, small world, construction, messy play, sand and water, train track, arts and crafts. Go with her to a carboot sale to get all the equipment and advise her on what safety checks and requirements are needed on the equipment. Talk to her about EYFS before she goes on the course so she has some idea of what to expect. If common sense prevails, she will catch on pretty quick. She will get the same advice as we all have from the development officer and Ofsted, and from there she can build on it. I am sure she will be very proud of herself when she has her own business and is learning a new skill - looking after children. Good luck to her.

I have had 6 spaces since my own chilren were over 8 and I choose to work part time when mine were little and never had any asperations that I would make a lot of money, just top up the family income so we could have a holiday. For the last 10 years I have filled all my spaces (6) and earn the same as my Primary School Teacher husband.

[Doofuz]

Sorry, yes, obviously that would be dependent on age. I have corrected my post, it was wrong to assume that childminders with their own children would not have the space for the full 6. I still stand by the fact that someone with no experience or qualifications can become a childminder with as much support as we are lucky to have.

[desiderata]

thanks for all your helpx