How long does the whole process take on average?

[MaryAnne]

How long, on average, from the pre-reg session (tomorrow!), until I have fully set up and allowed to start minding?
How long did it take with you, and what county are you from? I'm in Somerset if someone else is also from here it would be great if you could answer! Thanks.

[IsabellaB]

I've just done it all in Oxfordshire and it took about 6 months

Good luck

[tulip0803]

It does vary a lot. When I first registered it took 4 months when I re-registered it took 11 months.

[rebecca4573]

I've given myself 6 months. Started in March and hope to get mindees in for September when my DD starts school. I'm nearly done - CRB's off, safeguarding course week after next and 1st aid next week. Done my HBC unit as well. Good luck!

[Toothfairy]

I'm in Kent and it took me 9 months from start to finish and that was with me pushing people all the way, otherwise it would have taken longer!

[flowerpots]

Im in the west midlands and it took about 14months for me. :)

[HMT81]

I'm in East Yorkshire and it took about 10 months

[TinyTinker]

I'm in Norfolk - applied in Aug '10 - registered in Nov'10 - from when I had my pre- reg to having my cert - it was about 6 days:)

[Jiorjiina]

I'm in Somerset if someone else is also from here it would be great if you could answer! Thanks.

Devon, so close but not quite! Where in Somerset, out of interest?

So far it's taken me 6 months, and all I need to do is have a pre reg visit from Ofsted, which is being held up by my health check, which is being held up by my incompetent local NHS trust atm. :angry:

On the other hand, in 6 months I've been to two pre-reg sessions, done my Intro course, first aid and loads of other bits and pieces, so if I can just get the last bits sorted, I will be done quite quickly.

[Carrie1983]

Hi,
I'm from Wellington in Somerset and I am in the process of registering.

It has, so far, taken 16 months BUT that is my fault!

I was heavily pregnant (8 months) and went to my briefing in March 10; I had my baby in April 10. So engrossed in her, I forgot all about getting on an ICP course (I could have gone on one the week after the info meeting if I wanted to!), but then thought I'd best crack on so contacted the early years link worker at county and applied for a course in Langport for July 10 (a bit far but it was the soonest one available and my husband could look after my baby as it was run on 3 Saturdays whereas some were weekdays). Finish that course end of July 10 and then sat the next available exam on 11th Sept 10. Got the certificate for that through at end of October/start November 10 sort of time. Since then I have done nothing. I started advertising as a pre-reg childminder in May, just on childcare.co.uk and have had a lot of enquiries. I now have an almost dead cert for September (but nothing is ever certain!) so that kicked my bum to make me send my forms off which I have done this morning (took form to dr yesterday) and have booked to renew my paed first aid next month.

It is my fault it has taken this long because I left it several months before booking onto an ICP course and have left it ages before sending off the forms! Basically, from the start of my ICP course on 3rd July 2010, to receiving the certificate of passing that course, was about 18 weeks. We were told we could send the OfSTED forms off before even sitting the exam because they would know of our intent to take the exam and the high chance of eventually passing it! One girl I was on the course with actually registered and started taking mindees from Sept 10 even though we got our certificates in Nov! She had sent her forms off at the end of our ICP course in July, so for her, from start of course to registering and taking mindees was about 7 or 8 weeks, but she had mindees lined up waiting for her. There are briefing sessions about every 2 months in this area from what I can gather - I went to one in Bridgwater in March but there was definitely one in Taunton in June; I decided on the March one because of my baby coming and also I wanted to do it asap at the time! So it's been 8 months since I got my ICP and I'm only now sending off the OfSTED forms.

A friend who lives round the corner, did her briefing session last Autumn and the ICP immediately afterwards, sent her forms off, OfSTED visited less than 2 weeks after she sent the forms and she was registered by January this year, so for her the entire process from briefing to registration was under 4 months. I think it also depends on the time of year you start the process as they run more courses at certain times. She didn't go hardcore on the advertising so she got her first mindee in about March/April.

Where abouts in Somerset are you? If Taunton Deane then you need to contact xx who is the childcare and early years officer and deals with childminder registration for the area.

[Carrie1983]

Also, in my defense, I started a new job in April and my daughter was only 11.5 months old so filling in forms and writing policies has been the last thing on my mind really. I hate being away from my little one so much so that is really what made me start advertising... 8 weeks after starting my new job lol!

[littleguy1]

I'm in Gloucester and it has taken 8 months from start to finish.

[jadavi]

Rebecca, what is the HBC unit?

Cheers
Jac

[Kezzle]

Rebecca, what is the HBC unit?

Cheers
Jac

Soemthing like home based childcare course