In defence of some unregistered childminders, that's how I started out. I didn't realise you had to be registered to look after a friend's child. I was at home with my own children and looked after her son for £10 a day. In my mind I wasn't a childminder. I was doing a favour for a friend and she paid me a little bit of money.

This was before we had the internet and all this information freely available, so I'm not sure how I'd have found what I was doing was illegal if it hadn't been for a childminder at the school who told me I ought to register. I'm always very grateful that she spoke to me rather than reported me (in those days it would have been to social services rather than Ofsted).

I do think there are some very astute 'childcarers' out there who know exactly what they're doing and that it's illegal. They have all the answers and have their backs well covered. But I can't help thinking there must be some like me who really don't realise they're doing anything wrong.