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Bromley Childminding Association
PARENTS PAGES
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How to find a Childminder
How to find a Childminder
Becoming a parent brings huge responsibility, love, laughter and tears. It also brings decisions, to breast or bottle feed, cloth or disposable nappies, when to wean…..
For working parents there are many more decisions, when to return to work, full or part time and which form of childcare to choose.
For working parents there are many more decisions, when to return to work, full or part time and which form of childcare to choose.
What checks are made
on Childminders?
on Childminders?
Childminders are Registered with Ofsted. They go through an extensive registration process
(For further details see our page:
How to become a Childminder )
(For further details see our page:
How to become a Childminder )
Once Registered, Childminders can be checked by Ofsted at any time. They are inspected every three years and a full report is written on them.
Since April 2005, all new inspection reports have been placed on the Ofsted website:
Since April 2005, all new inspection reports have been placed on the Ofsted website:
In order to protect Childminders’ privacy, as they are working from home, it was agreed that they would only be identified by their unique Early Years number. If you have the Childminder’s number this can be entered in the search option to find their report.
(Not all reports are available on the web, only those inspected since April 2005)
Childminders are graded at their inspection, Outstanding, Good, Satisfactory and inadequate.
(Not all reports are available on the web, only those inspected since April 2005)
Childminders are graded at their inspection, Outstanding, Good, Satisfactory and inadequate.
Currently in Bromley approximately 80% of Childminders inspected since April 2005 are Outstanding or Good. In 2005, based on inspection during 2003/5 Ofsted rated Bromley Childminders top in London and 12th in the country. Link to LB Bromley website
Family Two
‘We choose to use a Childminder when our child was just a few weeks old. When I returned to work we found a local Childminder who was lovely. The children in her care were well settled and they all interacted very well. Our child settled quickly and soon became one of the ‘family’, we were very happy with the service provided.
Then our Childminder announced she was pregnant and asked if she could have a few months maternity leave. She offered us another Childminder who was willing to cover the time and she was known to our child, but we opted to put her in a day nursery for a change. The nursery was great, well equipped and organised, and the staff were kind but the whole experience was not right for our child. She became disruptive and attention seeking and her development regressed slightly. She was not coping with the higher staff ratios, she was used to the more individualised support her Childminder had been able to offer and was struggling to build new relationships. We were delighted when our Childminder announced she was ready to return to work and our daughter rushed through her front door on the first day! With the caring and supportive environment of the Childminder our daughter has settled again and is now making leaps and bounds in her development. Her Childminder is now working with us to prepare her for school next year but we are delighted that she will be able to continue looking after her, taking and collecting her from school each day and during the school holidays.’
Then our Childminder announced she was pregnant and asked if she could have a few months maternity leave. She offered us another Childminder who was willing to cover the time and she was known to our child, but we opted to put her in a day nursery for a change. The nursery was great, well equipped and organised, and the staff were kind but the whole experience was not right for our child. She became disruptive and attention seeking and her development regressed slightly. She was not coping with the higher staff ratios, she was used to the more individualised support her Childminder had been able to offer and was struggling to build new relationships. We were delighted when our Childminder announced she was ready to return to work and our daughter rushed through her front door on the first day! With the caring and supportive environment of the Childminder our daughter has settled again and is now making leaps and bounds in her development. Her Childminder is now working with us to prepare her for school next year but we are delighted that she will be able to continue looking after her, taking and collecting her from school each day and during the school holidays.’
Family One
‘We hadn’t really considered using a Childminder, we wanted a day nursery for our child. Our friends had used them and we liked what we had heard. Unfortunately baby places in nurseries are very limited in Bromley and we were unable to get a place when we needed one. We put our child’s namvie down on the waiting list but my wife needed to return to work. We found a local Childminder who had a vacancy and she agreed to take our child just for a few weeks until a place became available at the nursery. Our child settled very quickly and soon became very attached to the Childminder. He loved the interaction with the other children that attended on different days. Each morning he became very excited as soon as we said we were off to the Childminder’s. We discussed with the Childminder if she could keep our child rather than us moving him to a nursery when a place became available and luckily she was able to. We now have a completely different view on Childminding. Our child is so happy, he has made some lovely new friends. We can both go to work knowing that he is in a long, safe environment where he is happy and stimulated.’
A good relationship
It is vital that you build a good relationship with your Childminder. Childminders actually receive training on ‘How to work in partnership with parents and carers’ and one of the National Standards is dedicated to this subject. But there is no recognised advice for parents, so we have produced a document to give parents a few ideas
It is vital that you build a good relationship with your Childminder. Childminders actually receive training on ‘How to work in partnership with parents and carers’ and one of the National Standards is dedicated to this subject. But there is no recognised advice for parents, so we have produced a document to give parents a few ideas
Help and Advice
If you are a parent and have questions about Childminding or are having a problem with your Childminder you can talk to both the NCMA or BCMA helpline staff who will give you information and support in confidence.
If you are a parent and have questions about Childminding or are having a problem with your Childminder you can talk to both the NCMA or BCMA helpline staff who will give you information and support in confidence.
Here are two families’ real life stories of their experience of Childminding in Bromley. We have not included their names to protect their privacy.
Parents Emergency Cards
These cards will help ensure your Childminder is contacted if you are involved in an accident.
Print off and carry them with you Parent Emergency Cards
These cards will help ensure your Childminder is contacted if you are involved in an accident.
Print off and carry them with you Parent Emergency Cards
Why Choose A Childminder?
Childminders can offer:
- Individual care, sometimes even one to one, where time can be spent interacting with your child, whether that be having a cuddle and singing nursery rhymes or helping with homework
- Flexible hours, usually earlier or later starts than day nurseries and Out of School Clubs can offer
- Home-
based care - Low adult:child ratios
- Continuity of care, from just a few weeks right through to secondary school
- To meet the individual needs of your baby/child, adapting where possible to the routines of your child
- Social outings to toddler groups and Childminder drop-
ins - Real life learning, in a community environment, with regular trips to the local libraries, shops, parks and other facilities
- Care within a mixed age environment, with brothers and sisters cared for who are
pre-
school and school aged, in a family environment.