Jennifer Childminding best practice

How much CPD should childminders do?

How much CPD (Continual professional development) should you do? And what will your inspector expect to see if they visit?

The only training you have to do is Safeguarding training as recommended by your Local Safeguarding Board and your Paediatric First Aid. However, if you want to grow and develop your practice CPD is a must, especially if you are aiming at trying to get an decent grade.

The new Early Years Inspection Toolkit mentions the importance of continual improvement in several places. For example in the Leadership and Governance section one of the ‘Expected Standard statements is:

‘Leaders provide regular, relevant and appropriate professional learning and expertise opportunities.’ (Early Years Inspection Toolkit 2025. Page 51.)

From the point of view of the EYFS there is no set amount of CPD hours that you have to do. What is more important and what your Inspector will be wanting to see is see what CPD you are choosing to do and why.

Carefully choosing focused CPD based on your own needs shows that you have evaluated and have a good understanding of your own skills and knowledge and what you need to do next to fill in gaps in your own learning.

It is also really important to think about the impact that your training is having. A short piece of CPD which has a lot of beneficial impact for the children is much better than a long course which does not have much effect on what you do. Think about the last piece of CPD you did. What did you change as a result of that CPD? How did the children benefit?

Here is an example: You evaluate what you know and decide that you would benefit from improving your understanding of how children learn. You source and complete some good CPD on the Characteristics of Effective Learning. As a result of your learning you start to include more activities helping children explore their creative and critical thinking and you design a poster to help explain the characteristics to the children’s parents. As a result the children develop their problem solving skills and are supported with their learning at home too.

Don’t forget, CPD does not have to be formal training courses. As long as you are looking for good quality CPD that has a beneficial effect you can do all sorts of things. Reading this blog counts as a small piece of CPD. The impact? Knowing about the importance of evaluating what what you do and deciding on focused CPD to implement your learning more effectively.

Products that can help:

Self Evaluation Workbooks

This is a new series of special workbooks aimed at childminders, that will help you go through the new Early Years Inspection Toolkit to evaluate your setting and put on place an action plan to help you improve or maintain your existing standards. 

Each workbook is broken down into separate sections, each covering one of the new Ofsted inspection judgement standards. Each section breaks down the requirement descriptions from the Early Years Inspection Toolkit into smaller, easy to understand chunks to make you practice easier to evaluate. There is also guidance on every section. This is to help you to understand what might be expected of you in order to meet each inspection standard. There is space for your notes next to each section and an ‘action plan’ template to help you organise your plans for improvement.

self evaluation workbooks

Childminding Best Practice Club

Childminding Best Practice Club

Each month members of the club receive a special ‘toolkit,’ filled with specially designed resources. The toolkit is split into two sections, a ‘My Curriculum’ section containing planning and activities to do with the children and a ‘My Learning Section.’ The ‘My Learning’ section contains a self-evaluation question with a follow-up CPD training module. Each module comes with resources and ideas to help you put your learning into practice and a certificate to print out.

Join the Childminding Best Practice Club AND GET monthly CPD

Jennifer Childminding best practice

What I Love About Being a Childminder

Children having fun playing in the sand at their childminder's.

Childminding can be a demanding job but it can also be incredibly rewarding. I love being a childminder. Here are some of my reasons why:

I love the flexibility the role gives you. You can chose the days and hours you want to work. True, if you decide you only want to work Tuesdays from 9 am to 3pm it may take you longer to fill your spaces and you will not make as much money, but that is a fairly extreme example! Lots of childminders I know work four days a week, some work term time only and the occasional person offers spaces at the weekend too.

I love that it has enabled me to be there for my own children. I started when my children were just toddlers themselves and even now, when they are much more grown up I still find it immensely valuable to be at home when they come back from school.

I love the fact that I become a special person in so many children’s lives. I am their special ‘Jenny,’ (a title no-one else holds!) The children become part of one big happy family which I think is a lovely way to spend the first years of your life in childcare.

Childminder with two young girls

I love the fact that I can use my imagination and be a bit silly. Children tend to not blink twice if you decide to act like a dinosaur and will often join in. Try that in an office job, and at the very least you will get some odd looks!

I love the fact that I have been able to gain new qualifications while working and looking after my own children. Being a childminder has enabled me to gain qualifications in things like childcare, special needs and food hygiene.

I love how being a childminder helps me feel like part of the community. People tend to notice if you have a gaggle of children following you when you are out and about and we often get compliments about how cute and well behaved they are as well as people showing interest in the activities we are doing.

I feature in Twinkl’s Thinking of becoming a Childminder or Nanny?

Here are some reasons other people love being a childminder:

‘A job where you get to smile everyday. Every day you get to smile, as one of the children does or says something cute which makes you smile. I keep what I call a happy book so I don’t forget them. For example, me, “Oh look, it’s a bus!” Child “Why is Father Christmas Driving?” (The driver had a beard!)’ Wendy Morris

‘Watching children blossom right in front of my eyes.’ Donna Thomline

‘Being able to have the freedom to tailor the days to the kids you have or to your needs. Today they wanted to go to the park … so we went to the park. Last week a little one needed a snuggly day …so we had a snuggly day not doing much.’ Janet Dickinson

‘To be able to play with the children and enjoy it, (I am 62 years young), the freedom it gives you to go places or stay in, watching the children grow into young adults and still getting a knock on the door to say hello. The bonds we create with not just the children but their families x’ Alison Townsend

‘After 35 years I am still loving the relationships we build, the guidance we give and the love we all share. I just love our families and our job!! They grow through friendships made and play!’ Christine McGahey

‘The freedom to not stick to a timetable. If our kids want to go play in the sand in the rain they can or go on a mini beast hunt in the woods.’ Sarah Leete

‘I love the hugs I’m given as I walk through the school yard from children that left years ago 🥰 and the “Do you remember when we…” memories they share xx‘ Claire Powlesland

‘One of the things I liked about being a childminder, back in the day, was being able to work from home and be there for my own children as well as for others.’ Ruth Snowden

‘Every time they master a new skill it makes me incredibly proud 😊‘ Casey Anne Johnson

‘Having a happy environment to work in! And at the same time, being able to watch my own children thrive at home!‘ Giovanna Martinez

‘Bumping in to children I helped to educate as functional lovely teens or young adults!!! I bumped in to one last week on my local Starbucks doing summer jobs! Polite and smiley! I felt proud!’ Giovanna Martinez

Please sign up for my FREE weekly Childminding Best Practice newsletter. My email newsletters are great for childminders and EYFS providers. Sign up for free and each week you will be sent a useful email containing things like, childminding news, ideas and information, activities and special offers.

SIGN UP FOR FREE NEWSLETTERS HERE

Have you got your copy of the Ultimate Childminding Checklist yet? Not just any checklist, this is an essential tool for all childminders. It contains four checklist in one and loads of useful tips and advice from experienced childminders.

Get your copy of the Ultimate childminding checklist

Jennifer Childminding best practice, Diversity

Father’s Day with no Father present – what should childminders do?

What can you do for Father’s Day if you look after a child that does not have a father present in their life?

Unlike Mother’s Day, which is a much older celebration, it is less clear how Father’s Day started. I like the most generally accepted story that is was started in 1910 by an American woman called Sonora Louise Smart who was raised, along with her siblings, by her father. She thought that father’s should also have a special day and the idea was adopted by local clergymen. The idea spread and in 1972 President Richard Nixon made Father’s Day a legally recognised holiday by law. The tradition made its way across the sea and now we also celebrate Father’s Day in Britain.

Black dad and toddler son playing on floor at home, close up

Maybe Sonora and her family celebrated Mother’s Day as well. After all, it is possible that her father filled the role of both parents, being both a father and a mother figure. However, if this version of events is true then the original intent of the day is clear. Father’s Day was and is a special occasion to celebrate the father figures who love and care for us. In my mind this does not matter what form they come in.

Days like Father’s Day are an ideal time to explore different types of families with your children. Families come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes and this should be reflected in your setting and the resources you provide for the children. Open ended resources like peg dolls are ideal, as they can represent all sorts of different things, depending on the children, but also look for diverse families in other resources such as books and stories. If you only have the room or budget for one book I find the Todd Parr books good, as the characters are all brightly coloured cartoons, meaning that, again, they can represent anyone.

Father's Day activity for childminders

If you have a child without a father don’t exclude them from any activities you are doing for Father’s day. Instead talk to all the children about the sorts of things that the special grown-ups in their life do for them. Do they have grandparents that help care for them? Is Mum a single parent fulfilling the role of mum and dad or is she in a same sex relationship meaning that the child has two mummies? You may have children that are living with a foster family or cared for entirely by grandparents. Make sure you provide Father’s Day activities and crafts that are more open to individual interpretation, such as making sweets or cakes that anyone can enjoy, rather than stereotypical representations of fatherhood like pictures of ties or models of toolboxes. This way everyone can be easily included, including daddies who hate DIY and never wear a tie!

TRY THIS SIMPLE FATHER’S DAY ACTIVITY from a Childminding best practice club toolkit

For children and families that have lost a father due to death, Father’s Day may be especially difficult. In these instances it is important to work sensitively with the family to discuss what they would like to do. They may like to make a gift for someone else in the family, or may wish to make something to help remember their daddy by. Do not presume, each family is different so follow their wishes. Sharing books like, ‘The Invisible String,’ by Patrice Karst can be helpful.

(Tip: If you have already explored these subjects with your children and families before Father’s Day it can help make the day a little kinder on those who may find it difficult.)

Something to think about: Research conducted in America suggests that children raised without a father have a much greater risk of being raised in poverty, are more likely to have behaviour issues, are at greater risk of death in infancy and are more likely to become to commit crimes, go to prison, abuse alcohol or drugs, drop out of school or have a teenage pregnancy. This does not mean this will definitely happen, many children raised in loving single parent families, will grow up to lead happy and productive lives. However, if you have children with an absent parent you need to be aware that they may need additional love and support. This does not necessarily have to be difficult. Simply providing a safe consistent and loving environment for children can help them develop higher self esteem and help protect against depression and anxiety.

If you would like help exploring other diversity topics in a thoughtful and meaningful way you will find the following useful:

Join the Childminding Best Practice Club and receive a toolkit every month containing a special diversity or British values activity. Past activities have included things like specially written and illustrated diversity stories to print out and share with your children and families, invitation to play ideas to celebrate Earth Day, craft ideas for Mother’s Day and role play resources to make and play with when learning about International Nurses Day.

The monthly toolkits also contain resources and planning to help you provide activities and learning opportunities based around a theme, as well as a monthly training module.

Members also receive a generous 25% off lots of other Welly Wren resources, such as the Ultimate Childminding Checklist, supporting you in every aspect of your childminding adventure.

Find out more about the Childminding Best Practice Club

The Diversity Awareness MEGA pack

The Diversity Pack Mega Pack is a comprehensive collection of 20 mini printable packs, carefully crafted to equip childminders to  teach 20 essential Diversity and British Values topics.

Each mini pack delivers impactful messages on important diversity and British Values themes, tailored for 2-5 year old children, providing all the necessary tools to navigate through complex topics at a level suitable for young minds. In total, the Mega Pack features 50 original art projects with templates, alongside over 100 suggested activities, including printable activity sheets and engaging cooking projects.

diversity awareness mega pack
Jennifer Activities for childminders, Childminding best practice, Planning for childminders

My Childminding Curriculum Part One – Continuous Provision.

I think a lot about the curriculum I am providing my childminding children. As an Ofsted registered childminder I am bound by the statutory learning requirements of the EYFS to offer learning experiences and opportunities under the seven areas of learning. However, I feel it is both my duty and privilege to to explore the world with each individual child I care for, seeing it through their eyes, providing experiences that excite them, truly help them grow and go further than the short descriptions in the EYFS bind us to.

This blog focuses mainly on continuous provision and is the first part of a two blog mini-series. In the next blog I will go into more detail about enhanced provision.

There are some things that all childminding curriculum’s should have in common. The main focus of any early years curriculum should be on skills and knowledge that all humans need. Skills such learning about how people interact socially, the rules that hold society together such as understanding, communicating and cooperating with other people. Children also need to have chance to grow and develop their physical skills, to gain an understanding of their own body, it’s abilities and how to keep it health, both in body and mind. (In the English EYFS these skills are defined under the three prime areas of, communication and language, personal, social and emotional development and physical development.) As well as mastering these essential building blocks of learning isn’t it wonderful to expose children to all the other amazing things our world has to offer? Maths, science, literature, the natural world, different peoples and ways of life, music and art, the list goes on and on.

I do not want anyone reading this blog to think that their curriculum should look exactly like mine, or anyone else’s for that matter. Everyone’s curriculum is going to be different, as an effective early years curriculum should be based around the needs of the individual children in your care. In my setting I use a mixture continuous provision along with supplementary topics or activities to provide children with opportunities to learn core concepts and embed skills and learning as well as explore new ideas and areas of interest.

What is continuous provision and why is it important?

Continuous provision is all the resources and activities that you continue to provide on a daily basis. In a small early years setting such as a childminders this may look slightly different depending on your children and the sorts of needs they have, but in general your continuous provision should cover opportunities for the children to work on skills and learning across all the areas of learning. This does not mean that you need loads of expensive and specialised resources. You can provide a good range of learning opportunities with a few basics. As well as access for children to move around freely, both inside and outside, my essential ‘continuous provision’ resources always include:

Books. Books are an absolute essential for helping children learn new vocabulary and concepts and enjoy shared reading experiences. A carefully chosen selection of books can help children embed their learning across all areas of your curriculum. I aways include always include books that children love listening to time after time until they know them by heart. Which books I provide depends on the children I have. At the moment I have a mixture of simple board books and classic picture books like, ‘The Tiger Who Came To Tea.’ This ensures that all the children have books they enjoy without the need to have out all the books I own.

(For some suggestions about the sorts of books I recommend for very young children read: Eight essential books for childminders of very young children.)

With a small selection of resources, such as these bricks and toy animals arranged as a farm, childminders can cover all the areas of learning.

Simple wooden bricks in different shapes and sizes. These enable children to explore all sorts of mathematical concepts as well as being a useful resource in small world set ups! Building towers of bricks also helps children practice their fine motor control and hand to eye coordination as well as exploring concepts of cause and consequence. (What happens when I knock down this tower?)

Small world animals and people. Small world resources allow children to explore concepts using their imagination. They can be used for retelling stories that you have read to the children or to explore different scenarios that children encounter in real life. Having a selection of different animals and people also helps reinforce vocabulary, for example the names of different farm animals.

A small selection of ‘real world’ role play resources like cups, plates and spoons, along with some toy food. I find as a very rough rule of thumb, that children tend to explore real life scenarios on a real life scale before they start investigating small world toys. Having simple resources like this helps children practise social skills, such as pretending to make or share food, MORE

Musical instruments. These can be used in all sorts of listening and creative activities. (Just maybe keep them out of reach until the neighbours have woken up!)

Nursery rhymes basket. Sharing and learning nursery rhymes is a regular part of our day, helping children with their communication, language and literacy skills. My nursery rhymes basket is full of resources representing different nursery rhymes so that the children can pick their favourites. By choosing a selection of different rhymes you can also cover areas like maths (singing number rhymes) and understanding the world, (Old MacDonald had a Farm.)

Jigsaws. Chosen wisely these are very useful for covering lots of areas of learning. I find jigsaws a great characteristics of effective learning resource as well as helping children explore mathematical concepts such as shape, size and position.

Simple dressing up resources, like shoes, hats and bags with different fastenings. Great for practising fine motor skills and imaginative play as well as exploring what it feels like to be someone else.

Childminding children playing with toy vehicles in the sandpit.

Sand or some sort of ‘scoopable’ sensory material for filling, pouring, transporting, hiding things in and so on. This along with a selection of different containers for filling, posting things into, stacking, etc. These resources help children explore concepts such as how things work, object permanence, capacity, shape, weight and texture.

Mark making materials. I work from my sitting room so these are within sight so that children can easily request them by pointing but not so available that my walls will be ‘accidentally’ coloured in by my very youngest charges. However I have magnetic drawing boards that are available for children to independently access whenever they want.

Because my little cohort is currently very interested in vehicles I always have a selection of toy cars, tractors, etc. If I had a group of children with different interests the vehicles might come out less frequently unless requested by the children.

And finally the most important resource in your setting.

Yourself! Never forget that you are the most important resource your children have at their disposal. It is through your interactions with the children that they are supported to learn more than they would simply left to their own devices with the resources. You are the one that will introduce new vocabulary through having conversations to the children and reading to them. You are the one that will sing the nursery rhymes and teach the children how to count. You are the one that will model interactions and how to behave towards other people. You are the one that understands child development and what children should be striving to do next. You are the one that is there for children when they get overwhelmed and need support to regulate their big emotions. So, be exited. Be curious. Be supportive. Be brilliant!

IDEA: Why not have a ‘continuous provision’ day? Do not provide any additional resources or activities for one day but just concentrate on covering all the areas of learning with the things you always have out. Are there any ways that you can use your resources that you have not thought of before? At the end of the day have a think about whether there is anything you would like to change such as whether you need or want to add to your continuous provision resources.

You may also like this follow up blog on enhanced provision as part of your childminding curriculum:

Childminding curriculum – enhanced provision

You may also like:

If you enjoyed this article you will also enjoy the monthly training modules that feature in the Childminding Best Practice Club toolkits. These cover a wide range of subjects designed to empower you in every aspect of your childminding journey – from nurturing child development to mastering the art of running your own business. Previous modules have included things like training on how to write a prospectus to advertise your setting, the impact of food and nutrition on children’s health and development, phonics for childminders, and simple childminding accounts. Each training module comes with supporting resources and a certificate to print when you have finished.

As well as training modules each toolkit also comes with a wealth of resources to help you build and enhance your curriculum through a series of different topics or themes.

Find out more about the childminding best practice club

More information on different areas of learning:

EARLY YEARS AREAS OF LEARNING

Jennifer Characteristics of Effective Learning (COEL), Childminding best practice

I’m Bored! – Tips for encouraging healthy playing and exploring.

Playing and exploring is one of the essential Characteristics of Effective Learning. However it is now common to see concerns on social media about children appearing to struggle with playing and exploration. When children rely on adult-led or highly structured activities, they may struggle to engage with independent play. When left to their own devices in a room full of toys they will wander aimlessly about seemingly not knowing what to do with themselves. This not only burdens the childminder with the constant need to provide stimulation, but also hinders the child’s development. So, what can be done to address this issue?

Considering what type of play a child is into, such as small world play or role play, can help them play independently and prevent boredom.
  1. Check that the resources are suitable for the child. When considering resources for a child’s development, it is important to ensure that they align with the child’s stage of development. You may need to rotate or change toys to provide a greater level of challenge and stimulate the child’s interest.

2. Try to identify the child’s deep-seated interests, which may go beyond surface-level preferences such as cars or dinosaurs. Understanding what the child is truly learning about, such as following a schema, can help in selecting appropriate resources. For example, a child with a connecting schema may need to be able access resources such as jigsaw puzzles, Duplo or Lego bricks or train tracks that slot together.

    3. It is also important to understand how the child is currently learning. You may have set out a fantastic small world play set up but if a child is actually currently learning through large role play you may need to get out resources like a toy shop or kitchen so they can insert themselves into their play scenario instead of acting out their ideas through a character. (I always like to think of these two things as big and small pretend play.)

      4. If you have thought about all of the above and the child is still wandering around aimlessly then do not be afraid to resort to a bit of good old fashioned boredom! Often children need to break the habit of constantly seeking external stimulation. Remove as many resources as possible so that the child focuses on generating ideas for playing with just one thing instead of hopping from one thing to another. However make sure the resources you leave available are open ended to encourage the child to use their imagination. You may need to do a bit of modelling a first but then take a step back and be busy with something else so that you are not available. This is a good time to sit and do some ‘very important’ paperwork that cannot be interrupted. (Even if the paperwork is just a crossword puzzle that you are doing while keeping an eye on things!)

      Taking children into natural spaces outside, away from man made distractions, can help promote creative thinking.

      5. Take the children to explore a natural outside environment. If possible take the children somewhere where they can interact with natural spaces and materials rather than somewhere like a playpark with lots of equipment. (Which is essentially providing another adult led activity.) Choose somewhere you can sit and watch the children play without providing lots of resources. A bucket and spade if you are at the beach or containers to fill if you visit a wooded area are ample. The lack of artificial distractions may help a child overcome their boredom and they soon may be happily building sandcastles and forts or collecting different sticks and fir-cones.

      6. If a child genuinely does not know how to play or entertain themselves then you will not necessarily see instant results. However it is really worth sticking with it and resisting the temptation to fill every moment with exciting adult led activities. Ultimately you nurturing essential qualities such as resilience and creativity, independent thinking and exploration.

      Written 11/03/2024

      If you want to explore further you may find the following helpful:

      The Characteristics of Effective Learning Pack:

      characteristics of effective learning for childminders

      Confused by the Characteristics? This pack can help.

      What does ‘playing and exploring’ or ‘active learning’ or ‘creating and thinking critically’ actually mean that you are supposed to do?

      By improving your understanding of what the COEL really mean, you can make a massive positive difference to children’s futures.

      This pack contains:

      1. Training information about what the three Characteristics of Learning mean to you as a childminder.
      2. Practical information and training activities for you to complete to help you improve how you promote the COEL in your setting.
      3. Lots of activities to promote the COEL to do with the children from birth upwards.
      4. Business tools for childminders.
      get Characteristics of effective learning pack designed for childminders
      Childminding Best Practice Club Logo

      Stave off boredom and enhance your curriculum by exploring new themes and topics every month with the Childminding Best Practice Club. Plus receive monthly training modules and a 25% discount off other products.

      Simplify your life by getting all your monthly training and professional development, plus everything you need to support and develop your childminding curriculum in one convenient place.

      Discover a treasure trove of monthly training modules carefully written to empower childminders in every aspect of their journey – from nurturing child development to mastering the art of running your own business.

      Receive exclusive monthly planning and activity ideas customised for childminders. Find activities that ignite the imagination of the youngest children, and discover themed modules with carefully curated planning – perfect for childminders working with varying age groups.

      Join the Childminding Best Practice Club today and unlock a monthly pack filled with all the essential resources you need.

      Join the childminding best practice club
      Jennifer 30 hours, Business Room, Business tips for childminders, Childminding best practice

      Funding for Childminders

      A simple guide to the basic facts

      The new funding scheme in England is a subject that a lot of childminders and other early years providers are concerned about. While no-one has to offer funded places to families, the extended rollout means that it may become more difficult not to do so. The following information will hopefully answer most of your questions.

      When is the new funding scheme coming into force?

      April 2024, all working parents of 2-year-olds can access 15 hours per week

      • September 2024, all working parents of children aged 9 months up to 3-years-old can access 15 hours per week
      • September 2025, all working parents of children aged 9 months up to 3-years-old can access 30 hours free childcare per week

      How do I get paid?

      You will be paid the funding from your council. If you are not already registered you will have to contact your local early years team and ask how to register.

      Some councils pay termly, or half termly. Other councils pay monthly.

      What grading do I need to be able to offer funded places?

      Some councils may require you to have a good or outstanding grade to be able to offer funding. Current Government guidance for councils is that funding should ideally only be offered by good or outstanding providers but if there is a lack of space providers graded required improvement can offer funded places. If a provider is downgraded it is up to the local authority to decide what to do.

      How much will I receive?

      Funding rates will vary depending on which council you receive your funding from. The rates published and advertised by the Government are what the government pay your council. They are NOT what you will receive (sadly!) The Government openly publish information about what they pay each council which may give you a very rough idea but please bear in mind that councils only have to pay providers 95% of the funding on average. This means that if your council has different supplements, (for example a supplement so that providers in deprived areas receive more funding) which you do not receive then you may not receive 95% of the published rates.

      The Government figures can be difficult to interpret to the Early Years Alliance have helpfully compiled much easier to understand lists:

      The official Government published information:

      Government Funding Rates

      2023/2023 Funding for three and four years olds. Information from the Early Years Alliance:

      3 and 4 year old funding

      Funding Rates for two-year olds from April 2024. Information from the Early Years Alliance:

      Funding Rates for two year olds

      Funding rates for children under two-years old. Information from the Early Years Alliance:

      Funding rates for under two-year olds

      DON’T FORGET: THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE. YOU WILL PROBABLY GET LESS THAN THESE FIGURES.

      What can I do if the funding does not cover my hourly rates?

      This is a tricky questions as different councils may have different rules so you must check your funding contract carefully or you could be in trouble and have to pay money back if you get audited. However more and more parents seem to understand that the funding providers are paid does not cover costs and may be very happy to pay a voluntary sustainability fee. Do not charge this per hour as if you are audited it can look too much like a ‘top up fee’ which is not allowed.

      You can also still charge what you like for any hours parents use outside the funded hours. Don’t forget the funding DOES NOT cover all 52 weeks of the year. You are also allowed to charge extra for things like food extra classes or trips (such as a visit to a farm) and consumables such as nappies and sun-cream. However parents must be given the option to provide these themselves if they prefer.

      *rules do vary between councils so please check your council funding contract.

      What sorts of hours does funding cover?

      Parents can claim for up to 38 weeks a year, For families claiming 30 hours a week this equals 1,140 hours a year. You can offer funded places on a term time only basis of 30 hours a week or stretch the funding over a longer period. Here is one example of how you might do that:

      52 weeks in a year minus 4 weeks annual leave for the childminder = 48 weeks.

      1140 hours divided by 48 = 23.75 hours

      This means parents could have 23 hours 45mins funding per week over 48 weeks. You can then charge you normal rate for any hours over these hours.

      If I offer term time only funded places do my terms have to match up with the local authority?

      It may be easier to do this as it will possibly make working out your funding entitlement easier as the funding will match up with the local authority school terms. However you do not have to.

      Does funding cover school inset days?

      School terms including inset days are 39 weeks. Funding only covers 38 weeks so, no, funding does not technically cover inset days. (Don’t get caught out and end up giving away your time and work for free like I did the first year I did funding!)

      Tip: To ensure you allocate the right number of funded hours to your families make a not at the beginning of each term about how many hours of funding they are claiming with you that term. Then work out how many hours they have used each month (included hours when the child did not come due to sickness/child’s holidays, etc) and deduct it from the terms total. You can share this information with parents on invoices so that everyone is clear how many hours funding have been used.

      How many hours a day can parents claim funding for?

      You can offer funded places of up to 10 hours a day.

      What are the universal and extended entitlements?

      If you see these terms this is what they refer to:

      Universal: This is the 15 hours that every child aged 3 and above can claim.

      Extended: This is the additional 15 hours that eligible parents can claim to make their funded hours up to 30 hours.

      Different councils may use different terms!

      I share care with a nursery so who gets the funding?

      The parents can decide. If the nurseries fees are more than yours they will probably want to choose the nursery but it is their decision. You can also share funding with another setting but be very careful to make sure they are not claiming more hours than they are telling you or you may end up being accused of overclaiming and may have to pay money back. (Unfair as that is!)

      The child I care for lives in a different authority area to me. Where do I claim the funding?

      You should apply for funding via your council as normal.

      Can I claim funding if I am caring for a family member?

      In a word, no. (And yes I know this is very unfair.) The can use Tax Free Childcare to pay you though.

      Can I still provide Tax Free Childcare?

      Yes – parents can still use this to pay for any hours they use on top of funded hours. If you are not registered to provide this it is well worth doing and it will cost you nothing.

      Sign up for FREE Childminding Best Practice Newsletters

      Sign up for free newsletters

      Childminding Best Practice Club

      Childminding Best Practice Club Logo

      The Childminding Best Practice Club is unique. Designed by outstanding childminders to support other childminders, members receive:

      • Monthly Childminding Best Practice Toolkits emailed straight to your inbox. Every Childminding Best Practice Club toolkit is divided into roughly two sections; a ‘your curriculum’ section and a ‘your learning’ section, each providing lots of information and support.
      • A 25% discount* off other Welly Wren resources 
      • ‘New Members Welcome Pack‘
      JOIN THE CLUB
      Jennifer Childminding best practice, Forest Childcare

      Forest Childcare – All about Sycamores

      Written by guest blogger Ruth Snowden

      Sycamore trees are not native to Britain – they originated in mountainous regions in Central Europe and were introduced here, possibly in the fifteenth or sixteenth century. However, there is a carving in Oxford Cathedral, dated 1282, which suggests that they may have been here for a lot longer.

      They are very hardy trees, happily growing in exposed places like Sycamore Gap, and close to the sea where salt winds blow. Because of this they were often planted as shelter belts around farmsteads and you can still spot them there today. You will also find them in parkland and fields, where they are widely used to provide shade and protection for livestock. Look for a large, spreading tree, up to 35 metres in height and sometimes wider than it is tall. The bark is smooth grey, gradually cracking to form small irregular plates on the mature tree. The leaves are broad, with five lobes, dark green above and pale below. In autumn they often develop black spots of fungus, but this does not harm the tree.

      Sycamores belong to the maple family. The smaller, native, field maple was often used to make harps, and sycamore wood was widely used to make kitchen furniture, bowls, chopping boards, wooden spoons, and other cooking tools. The tree can easily be coppiced – which means it is cut right back and soon grows lots of new shoots and fresh wood.

      Sycamore leaves and keys ready for childminding crafts

      The much lamented tree at Sycamore Gap was famous all over the world. Another very famous sycamore is the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ tree in Dorset. Beneath this tree a group of disgruntled farm labourers met in 1834, and their discussions led to the formation of what was probably the first agricultural union. They were transported to Australia as a punishment, but were pardoned two years later and offered passage home.

      Sycamores spread very easily because they have ingenious winged seeds or ´keys’, which come in pairs. These are blown off the tree by autumn winds and sail far and wide like little helicopters. If you find a sycamore tree the children will need no encouragement on a windy day to run around and try to catch these as they whirl past. According to the the folk lore of my own childhood, there is a bonus too – if you are skilful enough to catch one, you can make a wish. Unfortunately I can’t tell you if this is true or not, because I have forgotten what my childhood wishes were!

      When they have worn themselves out with all that excitement and dashing around, get the children to collect some fallen leaves and sycamore keys and bring them home to make a beautiful autumn collage. Or you can turn a leaf upside down, put a sheet of paper over it, and make a leaf rubbing with wax crayons, showing off the pattern of veins.

      You may also like:

      If this has inspired you have a look at the Forest Childcare More Ideas for Forest Childcare All Year Round pack. It contains lots more ideas and information like above as well as additional crafts and resources to help you explore and discover the natural world with your children. You can find more information by following this link:

      more Forest Childcare ideas all year round

      If you are a childminder, nanny or small early years provider you may also be interested in finding out how to join the Forest Childcare Association and reap the benefits of regular outdoor outings for your children, your business and yourself. For more information and to find out how to join for just £15 use the link below:

      Join the FOREST CHILDCARE ASSOCIATION
      Jennifer Business Room, Childminding best practice, Planning for childminders

      A Childminder’s Guide to Writing Starting Points

      Note: A shorter version of this blog was originally published in the free Childminding Best Practice Newsletters. If you would like to receive the free newsletters please join via the link at the bottom of this post.

      Starting points. It is a subject that comes up a lot. Do you need to do written starting points and when should you do them? What is the difference between starting points and a base-line? What are the official ‘rules’ about starting points?

      The EYFS doesn’t directly mention starting points but it does say, ‘Practitioners must consider the individual needs, interests, and development of each child in their care, and must use this information to plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child in all areas of learning and development.’ (1.6 The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) for Childminders page 11.)

      Starting points are mentioned several times in the new Early Years Inspection Toolkit. For example, in the Curriculum and Teaching section, ‘Teaching is tailored to children’s different starting points, needs and stages of development.‘ (Early Years Inspection Toolkit, 2025, Page 23)

      starting points for childminders

      Therefore you do need to have starting points for each child but you do not have to write them down. However I would strongly recommend at least jotting a few notes for yourself so that if you freeze in front of the inspector and forget everything you have something to refer to. (The inspector will not ask to see written records so even just jotting something for yourself on the back of an envelope is fine.)

      You may have also heard the term baseline. This term is more commonly associated with a child’s entry to school where teachers now have to complete a baseline assessment of children’s skills and development when they start in Reception. The Government website states: The RBA (The Reception Baseline Assessment) is an activity-based assessment of pupils’ starting points.‘  (Source: Reception baseline assessment – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)) In other words starting points and baseline mean the same thing it’s just that baseline is the term officially used in schools and starting points is the term favoured for childminders.

      This is how I do starting points when I have a new little one in my own setting:

      Step One: I like to get parents views when gathering information about children’s starting points. After all they are the ones that know their child best. I get them to complete the ‘All About Me’ form from the ‘Summative Assessment System.’ This has been designed to complement the contract in the ‘Contracts, Policies and Forms‘ pack and has room for plenty of essential details like the child’s doctor and health visitor, dietary requirements, etc. However, it also has sections where parents can share information about what a child likes and what they can do. I find this is a simple uncomplicated way for parents to share information in a way that makes them feel that their input is valued from the very start of your relationship. (And without frightening them with specialised language or technical terms!)

      Step Two: As well as parents’ input I also like to observe the child and record my own starting points. I do this from the very first meeting with the family as I always ask them to bring the child with them when we meet for the first time. I don’t necessarily write notes when the family is there but I sit on the floor and play with the child, observing what they do. If a child is very young I concentrate on the three prime areas. I also have an informal talk with the parents – they will often share things about their child with you this way that they would not feel comfortable writing down on official looking paperwork. I then jot myself a few rough notes so that I don’t forget anything when the family leaves. I can then compare these with what I know about child development, using official documents if necessary, to give me a picture of where a child’s initial needs may be.

      Step Three: Once the child has been with me for a couple of sessions without their family (or just one session if it is a longer one,), if I am unsure of a child’s development in any area, or simply want some more information, I do a short written observation. This is not compulsory, but I personally find sitting for ten minutes and really concentrating on a child helps me focus and I often spot subtle things that I might not otherwise see. (You can miss this step out if you are happy you know the child well.)

      Step Four: Finally I use the, ‘Starting my story – the beginning of an exciting journey,’ form – again from the Summative Assessment System, to write a very short report, with a nice picture of the child, about what the child can already do. I share this with parents as it shows them, from the very start of our relationship, that I am a professional and that I value them and their child. I find that parents love this little ‘report,’ in many cases it is their child’s first ever one and can become a special memento!

      That is how I do starting points. It works for me, I get the information I need and start of new relationships with parents in a positive way. You may have your own documents that you can use if you want to do it the same way but if not you can find everything you need, plus yearly report templates and samples, transition report templates and samples and a gap tracker in the Summative Assessment System here:

      Summative Assessment System

      New Development Records

      You may also like the new Development Records which will help you record and celebrate children’s progress and share it with their parents on a regular basis. These allow you to record more detail than a tracker, with space to record comments of notes under different development stages. However, they are not as complicated or as time consuming as creating a learning journal. They are available in different age ranges, from birth upwards.

      DEVELOPMENT RECORDS
      Childminding Best Practice Club Logo

      Simplify your life by getting all your monthly training and professional development, plus everything you need to support and develop your childminding curriculum in one convenient place.

      Discover a treasure trove of monthly training modules carefully written to empower childminders in every aspect of their journey – from nurturing child development to mastering the art of running your own business.

      Receive exclusive monthly planning and activity ideas customised for childminders. Find activities that ignite the imagination of the youngest children, and discover themed modules with carefully curated planning – perfect for childminders working with varying age groups.

      Join the Childminding Best Practice Club today and unlock a monthly pack filled with all the essential resources you need.

      Find out more about the benefits of being a Childminding best practice club member

      Contracts, Policies and Forms Pack

      Having a clear and robust contract and policies is vital to the smooth running of any childminding business and can help prevent unwanted situations and misunderstandings between parent(s)/guardian(s) and childminders.

      This pack contains a fully updated contract, complemented and reinforced by specially written policies. Also included are lots of useful forms for you to use in your business as well as information about the sort of paperwork you will need.

      CONTRACTS, POLICIES AND FORMS PACK

      The weekly free Childminding Best Practice email newsletters are great for childminders and EYFS providers. Sign up for free and each week you will be sent a useful email containing things like business tips, activity ideas, childminding news and ideas and more.

      SIGN UP FOR FREE CHILDMINDING BEST PRACTICE NEWSLETTERS

      Jennifer Childminding best practice

      Changes to the September 2023 EYFS for Childminders

      (Note: I originally published this blog as an article in my weekly Childminding Best Practice newsletters on the 18th of July 2023. To be first in the know you can sign up for free here:)

      Free childminding best practice newsletters

      The Department of Education has now published the newly revised EYFS which comes into force today. (Monday the 4th of September 2023). I have already seen lots of posts on social media about the changes and it would be easy to form the impression that the guidelines have changed a lot. In truth very little has changed, and even less so for childminders. I have now gone through the entire document (except for Annex B which is only for Reception teachers,) and have listed the changes below:

      Change One: On page 3: The date in the sentence at the very start of the guidelines has been changed to read, ‘This framework is mandatory for all early years providers in England from 4 September 2023.’

      In the old (current) EYFS the date is the 1 September 2021. I have underlined the part that says ‘all early years providers,’ as there is still talk of another more simplified guide which is being specifically written for childminders. However it is important to realise that you must follow all the rules set out in the full version. Please do not worry about this, if you have a copy of the Ultimate Childminding Checklist,’ this sets out all the ‘musts’ in an easy format for you to go through and tick off. The ‘Ultimate Checklist’ has now been updated to reflect the new changes.

      Get THE updated ULTIMATE CHILDMINDING CHECKLIST

      Change Two: In the section on ratios there is only one change that childminders need to be aware of and that concerns how you supervise children while they are eating. Currently paragraph 3.29 of the EYFS states that ‘children must usually be within sight and hearing of a member of staff. The new EYFS adds, ‘Whilst eating, children must be within sight and hearing of a member of staff.’

      Choking is silent so if you can only hear children while they eat you may miss a life threatening situation, therefore, although this is not mentioned in the current EYFS please follow this rule now. It could save a child’s life.

      Change Three: There is also another change to the ratios section which is causing confusion in some of the threads I have seen on social media. This change is in the section ‘Early years providers (other than childminders) Paragraph 3.33 in the new EYFS which concerns children aged two states that ‘there must be one member of staff for every five children.’ This is an increase from the previous ratio of one member of staff for every four children. Although this is a controversial change IT DOES NOT APPLY TO CHILDMINDERS so you do not need to worry about it! If anyone says you can now have more children because the ratios have increased, please gently set them straight!

      Change Four: The final minor change is on page 32 section 3.43 of the new EYFS which details the circumstances in which childminders can make exceptions to the usual ratios. In the old EYFS it states that exceptions to the usual ratios could be made when ‘childminders are caring for sibling babies.’ In the new EYFS this has been changed to siblings.

      I think this makes it easier to argue that you can take on an older child’s sibling, rather than it being limited to twins, for example.

      The new EYFS has also been changed so that in the same section as above the statement (exceptions to the usual ratios can be made) ‘when caring for their own baby,’ now reads ‘child’ instead. This is good as your own children no longer need to vanish in a puff of smoke when they are no longer babies – you can keep caring for them 😜

      And that is it! The amount of changes is really nothing to worry about. If you have not got one already get yourself a copy of the Ultimate Childminding Checklist and by using it you will know that you have all the ‘must do’ things in place.

      You may also like:

      NEW! The Ultimate Childminding Inspection Preparation Pack 2023

      Is your Ofsted Inspection imminent? Do not panic. this bundle will help you prepare AND will save you £10 off the price of buying these resources separately.*

      Knowing that your Ofsted Inspection is due can feel stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Being prepared and knowing that you have everything in place can help massively reduce any stress or worry about your inspection.

      This new bundle pack of useful resources has been put together to help you:

      • Check that you have everything in place with the Ultimate Childminding Checklist and the Safeguarding Audit list. (Now updated to meet September 2023 requirements.)
      • Update and/ or check your Safeguarding Policy so that everything is in place using the Editable Safeguarding Policy.
      • Revise your safeguarding knowledge so that you feel prepared for questions on the day with multiple choice safeguarding questions.
      • Quickly and easily evaluate your own provision and think about how far you have come using Focus Point Questions from the Guided Self-Evaluation Pack.
      • Relax with the puzzles and mindfulness colouring sheets that are also included in your pack, knowing that you have done everything to put things in place for a successful childminding inspection.
      Save £10 with the Ultimate Childminding Inspection Preparation pack

      Smoother and Safer Mealtimes for Childminders

      From September 2023 the EYFS requires that children are within your hearing and sight while they are eating. Here are my five tips for smoother and safer mealtimes. (Learned via lots of trial and many errors!)

      READ BLOG

      Published 04/09/2023

      Jennifer accident prevention for childminders, Childminding best practice, Safety at Home

      Smoother and Safer Mealtimes for Childminders

      From September 2023 the EYFS requires that children are within your hearing and sight while they are eating. However this is a really good rule to follow straight away so don’t wait. Here are my five tips for smoother and safer mealtimes. (Learned via lots of trial and many errors!)

      ONE: Get children into good routines.

      Start training ALL the children to go to the toilet and wash their hands before they eat. You should already be helping children wash their hands before they eat so it shouldn’t be too hard to add an extra step if necessary. Make sure you plan in lots of time for this, especially at first, it may take longer than you think but it will be worth it!

      It is good for the children to learn simple routines such as this and seeing older children go to the toilet while hopefully inspire the younger children when it comes to their turn to potty train. (There’s nothing like a bit of gentle ‘peer pressure,’ even if you are only two!) Making sure everyone has gone to the toilet before you eat will also reduce the chance of someone needing it halfway through your meal.

      Obviously babies and very young children will not be at the ‘go to the toilet’ stage yet but they can start learning how to wash their hands properly. I use a poster with simplified steps as a visual prompt for very young children so they can practise while I support them.

      TWO: Get everything ready before you sit down. (This is harder than it looks – I know from experience! Don’t worry if it takes a few goes to get into a routine.)

      Make sure you have everything you will need before you sit. Will you need a jug of water? Flannels or a cloth for spills or sticky hands? Tissues for runny noses? If you have lots of children invest in an apron with a large pocket that you can pop things in so they are handy when you need them.

      Don’t forget something for you to eat and drink too, even if it is only something small if you like to eat the majority of your meal later. This helps you model things like good manners and will help you feel better and more rested too.

      THREE: Have a useful distraction for early finishers.

      It happens to us all! You have one child that has eaten everything before you have barely put the plate down and another one that can take an hour to eat half a sandwich. Children should be encouraged to start to sit and wait for others to finish eating but this can be a big ask for some little ones! I find it really helpful to have a copy of the book we are concentrating on, (currently Goldilocks and the Three Bears,) so that I can read it to the children while they eat, or I can give it to early finishers to look at the pictures.

      FOUR: Make sure you plan meal times around drop off and pick up times.

      The last thing you need is parents arriving in the middle of your mealtimes and disrupting everything. Plan when you have your mealtimes so that you have time for each child to finish calmly before you have to answer the door to parents. It can be really helpful to share the times you have your meals with parents and tell them that you are unable to answer the door during those times. Then stick to your guns! After all it is for their child’s benefit and safety that you are doing this.

      FIVE: Train children to expect the unexpected. You cannot plan for every eventuality. Sooner or later something will happen that you do not expect. If something happens that means that you must leave the children to attend quickly to an emergency but will be unable to see them then move their food somewhere where they cannot reach it while you attend to the emergency. You can practise this with the children so they get the idea that they will get their food back. (For example if you are practising tip TWO, forget something you need and have to pop into another room to get it.) However, remember an upset child is far better than a child being injured or worse if you cannot see them choking.

      Written 24/07/2023

      Do you have any more tips for safe and smooth mealtimes? Share them in the comments below.

      You may also like:

      Safeguarding for Childminders

      Making sure children are safe at mealtimes is just one of the things that you must do to ensure that you are following all the EYFS safeguarding requirements. If you would like some support with this I recommend the NEW 3 in 1 safeguarding pack for childminders. This pack contains three useful tools in one pack. An editable safeguarding policy, 40 multiple choice safeguarding questions and a safeguarding audit list. You can find out more by following the link below:

      3 IN 1 sAFEGUARDING PACK FOR CHILDMINDERS

      If you enjoyed this blog and would like more helpful advice, tips, news and ideas please sign up for my FREE Childminding Best Practice newsletter. To sign up please go to the sign up page here:

      FREE CHILDMINDING BEST PRACTICE NEWSLETTER

      Why not get the children involved with some health and safety topics too?

      Health and Safety Activities for Childminders

      As a childminder you have a choice about what activities you do with the children you look after so why not do some topics that could really make a difference to their lives? Taking the time to explore topics like healthy eating, making friends, sun safety, oral health, fire and road safety will not only really help the children, but it will make you feel that you are doing something truly valuable with the time you are spending with them. The ‘Be Safe Be Healthy,’ pack is a collection of 14 mini printable packs with resources to help childminders to teach 14 health and safety topics to 2-5 year old children. 

      Get the children involved with Health and safety topics