The children and families minister also revealed the Government is to launch a consultation on reducing childminder Ofsted registration times to around 10 weeks, and making sure they are paid monthly by local authorities.
The measures are designed to reverse the decline in the number of childminders in England.
Childminders in leasehold and rented properties
Coutinho has written to housing associations, developers and landlords to urge them to allow childminders to work in their rented or leasehold properties.
According to the minister, childminders who rent or own leasehold properties ‘too often face restrictive clauses in contracts which stop them from working in their homes – barriers that are unfair’.
Some leases contain restrictive covenants, which state that properties cannot be used for business purposes, while tenancy agreements can prevent childminders from registering their business from their home, or landlords’ mortgage agreements can include restrictions from the lender.
Coutinho is hoping that by encouraging social landlords to ‘open the door’ to childminders, it will encourage more to enter the profession and increase availability of childcare for parents.
The move forms part of the Government’s measures to ‘support and inspire’ more people into the childminding sector.
The Government has also tabled amendments to the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill (LURB) that will mean childminders can work together in groups of up to four childminders, and spend more time working outside their homes, for example in community centres or village halls.
It comes as the childminder start-up grant, worth up to £1,200, will soon be available to childminders who have joined the profession since the Spring Budget.
Commenting, the Early Years Alliance said that the measures announced today would ‘fail to rectify or even slightly remedy the issues facing England’s childminding sector’.
The National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) said the Government should also consider the burdens on other providers like the cost of VAT and business rates.
'Too often prospective childminders are having the door slammed in their faces.'
Coutinho said, ‘Too often prospective childminders are having the door slammed in their faces because they face a blanket ban on working from home.
‘However, parents tell us time and again how much they value the flexibility and quality that childminders bring so we are making sure that we are supporting the workforce to deliver what parents need.
‘To do this in the best possible way, we are addressing the challenges childminders face including loneliness, where they work, long registration times and local authority pay timetables. Through our support of the sector, we will deliver the flexible care that parents need.’
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said, ‘Childminders are a crucial part of the early years sector, but they continue to be underfunded, undervalued and underappreciated. Yet, rather than addressing or even acknowledging this, the Government has instead wasted time and resources by putting forward changes to minor challenges that in reality, will make a small amount of difference.
‘We know that, while property restrictions may be an issue for a small proportion of childminders, it will do little, if anything at all to prompt lasting and effective change.
‘In addition, simply reminding when local authorities should pay entitlement payments to childminders, and marginally speeding up the approval process does not go far enough to even temporarily ease pressures.
‘What childminders, and the rest of the early years sector urgently need, is a long-term plan supported by realistic funding.’
Parents told to check they are claiming funded hours
Today, the Prime Minister and education secretary are also urging every parent to check they are claiming the funded childcare hours they are entitled to as data shows one in 20 children nationally may be missing out.
Education secretary Gillian Keegan, said, ‘Over the next few years we are doubling our investment into free childcare, bringing 30 free hours for working parents of children down to just nine months old by 2025.
‘I wouldn’t want any family to miss out because they can’t find childcare that meets their needs or simply didn’t know how much they were entitled to.
‘With just ten days to go to sign up for free childcare hours for the autumn term, my message to every parent is don’t delay, check today!’
