Nursery World - Nursery Management: Childminding

Budget cuts that have affected almost every area of childcare and
early years have fallen particularly hard on childminders. Charlotte
Goddard reports on how they are bridging the support gap.

Childminders used to be able to count on local authorities for training, advice and guidance at little or no cost. But during the recession, quality improvement services were slashed - down a quarter between 2009 and 2011, according to the Times Educational Supplement - while the CPD available to early years providers has also been hard hit.

'Levels of support and training are a postcode lottery across the country,' says Bea Heath, director of trade association Independent Childminders. While her local authority, Richmond, still provides core training such as safeguarding and first aid for free, others do not. Sarah Neville, registered childminder at Knutsford Childminding, says, 'We used to have three childminding co-ordinators in our local authority, Cheshire East, and now there is just one. Support visits now only take place if the childminder is below a good rating, and there is no longer enough help with paperwork and policies.'

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