Ministers said they would streamline the Ofsted registration process for providers and that it would encourage the growth of Childminder Agencies (CMAs).
The consultation proposals include allowing childminders to care for a fourth child under the age of five, providing one is either a sibling of another child they care for, or their own child, while continuing to only allow childminders to care for a maximum of six children under the age of eight.
Launched in 2013, CMAs have so far failed to take off, with just six currently registered with Ofsted.
Despite this, ministers claim they could ‘ultimately become major players in the childcare market – stimulating competition and driving down costs while providing parents with more options for care.’
CMAs are central bodies that remove the individual administrative and regulatory burden on childminders, as well as providing parents with tools such as mobile apps through which to book their childcare.
According to the Department for Education, the average cost of a two-year-old attending a nursery for 50 hours a week in England is £265 per week, compared to £236 a week with a childminder.
The Government said it would support more people to become childminders by:
- Reducing the upfront costs of becoming a childminder via financial support;
- Allowing childminders to spend more of their time working from a greater range of locations – for example a local community centre or village hall rather than their own home;
- Giving childminders greater flexibilities within the ratios when looking after their own children or siblings of other children;
- Working with Ofsted to reduce inspection of childminders; and
- Slimming down the childminder specific Early Years Foundation Stage, reducing the framework by one-third to ensure content is targeted and simpler to navigate.
Brett Wigdortz, CEO of tiney – a childminder agency - and Founder of Teach First, said, ‘We are very encouraged that today’s announcement places such an emphasis on reviving childminder numbers. For too long, childminding has been overlooked and under-valued. Childminding pays professionals a fair wage, provides a high-quality learning environment for children, and offers parents local, more affordable childcare options.
‘Childminding is the future of sustainable childcare and we are pleased to see the Government taking steps that will provide more financial support for childminders, as well as offering a renewed recognition of the value childminding agencies can play, and the promise to explore measures which will boost childminder numbers.
‘Any such changes must protect and uphold high standards of care; safeguards that the EYFS and effective regulation will play a vital role in providing. We need to bring more people into the wonderful roles that early years education has to offer; every step towards making these careers more sustainable whilst also safeguarding the quality of childcare provided, will be most welcome.’
Helen Donohoe, Policy Advisor at PACEY, said, ‘Ambitious plans for the highest quality of early education and childcare should be at the core of Government policy. What we see in these proposed changes however, is a focus on reducing costs and "passing savings on" to families, with little mention of the needs of children and of the need for investment in a long neglected sector.
She added that they were awaiting details of the listed proposals for childminders because the consultation does not outline those additional measures, such as funding, Ofsted and EYFS changes for childminders.
PACEY has asked the Department for Education to clarify if or when there would be any more details these proposals and how their members can get involved.
'We await the details of the proposals, however there is every indication that these proposals fall short of our continued call for a long-term strategy for our sector,' she said.
'We want a long-term vision that includes aspirational investment, a focus on progressive outcomes for all children, and a robust workforce strategy to ensure that those working in childminder settings, nurseries and pre-schools can thrive in their work and not just struggle to survive.
‘In our recent survey almost 60 per cent of childminders said greater respect for their career would improve their mental health and wellbeing. We welcome the recognition in these proposals that childminding is a valuable and flexible option for many families, not least because urgent action is needed to attract more childminders to the sector and retain those already in the profession.
'However, we are cautious. Our members are tired of feeling let down by Government, so we will ensure that they have a chance through this consultation to make their voice heard at the highest level and we will strongly resist any measures that risk childminding being perceived as a cheaper and ‘less professional’ option for families.’
Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said, 'Childminders, just like those who work in nurseries and pre-schools, are education professionals who provide vital learning and development opportunities for the children in their care. It is incredibly concerning therefore that so many of the government proposals published today to encourage more childminders to remain in the sector risk undermining the professionalism that this part of the sector has worked so hard to have recognised.
'While the government may have, at long last, realised that it needs to take action to tackle the huge decline in childminder numbers over recent years, retrograde steps like reducing the number of inspections, creating a separate, streamlined EYFS and wasting more energy on the damp squib of a policy that is childminder agencies are simply not the solution.
'If ministers really wanted to stem the flow of childminders out of the sector, they would have focused on changes that recognised and valued them as early years professionals, equal to those who work in nursery and pre-school settings. Much of what has been announced today does the exact opposite.'
