Torbay Council’s Early Years’ Service are offering free information sessions for anyone interested in becoming a childminder.

Childminding can be a rewarding career choice and is a great option for anyone looking for work that is flexible. It can also be carried out from home whilst providing care for your own children.

Support and training from the Early Years team is available all the way through the application and training process as well as ongoing support once you are qualified. The free information sessions will cover the Ofsted registration process and what training is required. Local Childminders will also be available to answer any questions.

Councillor Julien Parrott, Executive Lead for Adults and Children “We want to ensure that we have a range of appropriate childcare for parents in Torbay and with the 30 hours free childcare now on offer we want to give them a diverse choice. Childminders provide a unique, flexible home based service to children and their families and they will be crucial in the delivery of the 30 hour offer.

‘There is ongoing support for childminders, from the start of their journey when applying to continuing to support them when qualified. Advice available includes help to remain in business as well as feeling confident about their future.”

Childminders are professional childcare workers who work from their own home and provide a childcare service for other people’s children in a family based setting. They are registered with and inspected by Ofsted and are required to follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in the same way as nurseries and pre-schools.

Following the free information session a two day childminding training course is the next step to qualifying as a Childminder. This course is delivered by the Early Years Advisory Team with newly registered childminders visited at home and supported by the Torbay Childminding Development Worker.

Lucy Chapman, a qualified childminder based in Paignton said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the course and found it extremely helpful in preparation for my OFSTED registration visit. The handbook is a fantastic tool and I have found all the answers I need in there. The Early Years Team have been extremely helpful throughout and is always happy to help. I would recommend this course to anyone thinking of looking at a career in childminding and am so glad I chose Torbay Council.”

To find out more information, and see the answers to the most frequently answered questions, visit the becoming a childminder page.

Funding is available from the Government to help prospective Childminders train and establish a new business. Visit www.childcarebusinessgrants.com for more information.