With the government’s ongoing expansion of its Funded Childcare Scheme, demand for childcare is booming across the country and that means now could be the perfect time to start your own childcare business by becoming a registered childminder. If you love being around children and are passionate about helping the next generation reach their full potential, then a career in childcare could be the one for you.
It might be easier than you think to start your own childminding business. With the right training and support, you can be up and running in as little as three months. If you’re interested, read on to find out more.
Benefits of starting a home-based childcare business
There has been a national decline in the number of childcare providers over the past decade, a trend the Government has become increasingly worried about. The importance of early years education has finally begun to be recognised along with the impact that a lack of childcare has on local communities and the economy.
If you have a passion for caring for children and have been thinking about a career in childminding, there’s never been a better time to take the plunge. Recent changes mean you don’t just have to run your childminding business from your home but instead have the option to operate in premises outside of your home, perhaps in a church hall, mosque, community centre or sports centre. Check out our top 10 places to set up!
Perhaps the biggest tangible benefit is the potential financial rewards. You don’t need a lot of start-up capital to establish a home-based childcare business, making it an extremely viable venture.
With average salaries ranging between £25,000–£35,000 per year, it’s an extremely rewarding way to achieve a better work-life balance and earn a living while helping children grow, develop and thrive.
You get to be your own boss, so you can choose the days and hours you work to suit you and your lifestyle. You can also start up quickly. If you work with @Home Childcare, we can provide you with complete step-by-step support and training to help you set up your childcare business within two to three months, along with ongoing mentoring to help it grow. Imagine that – a rich and rewarding new career with flexibility and freedom within just three months.
Not bad, right?
Steps to start a home-based childcare business
If you want to start a home-based childcare business, you must register with either Ofsted, or an Ofsted accredited childminder agency. You need to register if you get paid to look after children under eight years old in your own home for more than two hours a day. As an Ofsted-registered childminder agency, we inspect and register you on behalf of Ofsted. However, there’s more to launching your business than simply registering. Here are the other steps you need to take to get up and running:
Childminder training
To become a registered childminder, you’ll need to complete a pre-registration training course, which will equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to start and run a home-based childcare business. At @Home Childcare, we provide funded step-by-step support and training to help you become a registered childminder early educator and set up your new childcare business in two to three months. We can also help you raise your profile and find parents looking for childcare in your area. Our in-depth training covers everything you need to know about starting and running a successful childcare business, including:
- Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) training
- Legislation and regulation
- Safeguarding and child protection
- Health and safety
- Paediatric first aid and food hygiene
- Equality, diversity and inclusion
- Children’s learning and development
- Observation and play
- Leading and managing an early years’ setting
- Financial and taxation requirements
- Creating a business plan specifically for childminding
- Registration requirements
To find out more about download our free guide to becoming a childminder and get all the information you need to embark on this exciting and rewarding new career.
DBS and health checks
If you’re planning to use your home to run your childcare business, you and any other adults (aged 16+) who live with you need an enhanced criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. You can apply on Ofsted’s secure DBS Application Portal.
If you’re applying to the Early Years Register, you’ll also need to complete a health declaration form and get your GP to sign it.
Getting inspected
Once you have registered, you’ll need to undergo an inspection either by Ofsted (which can take up to 30 months after registering) or by an accredited childminder agency, like @Home Childcare (which can be done within two to three months). This is to ensure your home is safe and suitable, that you’ve done the relevant risk assessments, and provide childcare to the required standards.
Ongoing Ofsted inspections should happen at least once every six years. However, at @Home Childcare, as well as providing ongoing support and training, we inspect all our registered childminders annually to ensure their service provision is of the highest possible quality.
Complete the legal paperwork
Once you’ve passed your inspection, you’re almost ready to launch your business. However, the final step is to ensure you’ve completed the correct paperwork to meet your legal responsibilities. This includes registering as self-employed with HMRC to ensure you pay the correct Income Tax and National Insurance. Remember, it’s your legal responsibility to keep accurate financial records and file your self-assessment each year, so make sure you receive professional advice if you’re unsure of what you need to do here.
You’ll also need to get the right insurance in place to protect yourself and your business before you start childminding. This includes sufficient public liability insurance, as well as ensuring your home and contents – and even your car insurance – covers you for what you need. And if you’re processing personal data electronically, either of your customers or staff, you’ll need to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office and adhere to GDPR and the Data Protection Act.
Start your childminding business
While the above steps will help you on your way to starting a new career as a childminder, there are many more things to consider. After all, you’ll need to run it as a professional business, which comes with everything that entails. However, it’s also a career with freedom and flexibility, so you can fit your job around your lifestyle and build the business your way. At @Home Childcare, we’ve helped hundreds of people register as self-employed childminders and get their childcare journey off to the best possible start. To find out how we can help you do the same, get in touch today.
