wanting to become a childminder

**finding nemo** · 07-08-2009, 02:35 PM

Hi everyone,
Im new to this site from what ive read you are all very helpful and love being chilminders which is really making me excited about finally getting to start my training course.

I just wondered if anyone could tell me how long it took them to get everything completed so you could have your first child? i am currently on maternity leave after having my gorgeous little boy in jan. I am starting the course in september i wish i could have done it earlier but our authority only does the course twice a year and i missed the first intake. anyway, my maternity pay stops soon so I am looking to get up and running asap so we dont have to dip into our savings. I live in an village with loads of children and no childminders so fingers crossed i wont have trouble getting children!!

I hope everyone us having a good day!!

Zoe

**sweets** · 07-08-2009, 03:05 PM

hi zoe welcome to the forum. Ideally i think you should do the course first but i think you can register with ofsted now as long as you do the course within 6 months. i may be wrong though!

**wellybelly** · 07-08-2009, 03:35 PM

Welcome and enjoy your new chosen carer!

I think you're right sweets. Everything happens after the course - everything you need to get going is in the pack you get at the end of the course. You could read through some of the posts on here to get you started though and make of list of some of the things you might do when you are childminding. I started by making a wish list of the resources I wanted to get, then risk assessments and how I can make my house even safer.

Best of luck with the baby x

**nannymcflea** · 07-08-2009, 04:20 PM

Good luck, it's a fab job, especially as you be there with your babies too.

**MissTinkerbell** · 07-08-2009, 04:38 PM

I think it varies from authority to authority.

Where I am I had to go on 2 briefing sessions when we were given our forms to fill in (this was end of Feb 08). I filled in my forms and sent them off. Two weeks after sending forms off had my pre-registration inspection and my registration came through end of May 08 - so just short of 3 months. I then had to get my ICP and First Aid course done within 6 months of becoming registered. I did my ICP in March 08 and my First Aid in Sept 08.

Other authorities are different and insist on you doing the ICP and First Aid before you get your registration forms.

I started advertising at the end of May and had my first enquiries almost immediately although they were for Sept starts (this suited me fine as wanted school hols with my children before starting minding) and I then started minding in September 08.

As others said read the psots on the forum to see what you need - I found it invaluable when getting my bits and pieces done. Also get as much done now as you can to save you time later (ie policies, procedures, risk assessments, etc) when you want to be sorting out advertising and cmeeting parents.