hi all
i was thinking how long it used to take to register as a childminder years ago, and what courses did you do then. did you need to do work shops and first aid or did you just register. i was registered last year and somone i know finished because of all the paper work you had to do. was it really that different from now. ju

i started fairly recently (2004) and I'd say the paperwork you are now REQUIRED to do is tenfold what we had to do. I am sure it was even less paperwork based pre-ofsted days.

17yrs ago it took me 16mths to register. This was because the LA where I lived then decided they had too many white Engish cms and needed more Asian ones so would not begin to Register me for over a year after I first asked. Yes really, outrageous when you think about it but that was what happened back then!

I had to do a 6 week, one night a week intro to cm course and that was it. I did First Aid but we didn't have to.

The only paperwork was my NCMA Attendance Register, Contracts and a Child Info Form. I carried cards around in my bag with the childrens details and medical permission signed by the parent but I was unusual you didn't have to have this. Oh and Accounts that hasn't changed!!!

My planning was gradually built up in a folder as we did things. No particular structure to it except following what the childrens interests were and following the seasons and festivals through the year .

When I registered 13 years ago it took 3 months and I didn't have to do any courses at all, no meetings, inductions, absolutely nothing! As a nurse I'd already done first aid training but it wasn't compulsory.

:)

I registered 14 years ago, took 3 weeks, then I had to do a days course introduction to childminding and first aid 12 hours within the first year of minding.