Lorraine Horner from Bracknell, qualified as a nursery nurse 45 years ago and has been working with children ever since. She is currently a registered childminder and takes care of three 2-year-olds alongside other children. One of the 2-year-olds is government funded. Here, she describes the benefits of childcare for 2-year-olds and how to create trust between a childminder and parent.

What’s special about 2-year-olds?

I love looking after 2-year-olds! They are discovering everything for the first time. Everything feels new to them. We often take trips out to parks, woods and farms and they don’t always remember that we’ve been before. Their eyes light up at the excitement of seeing a cow or a sheep and I enjoy knowing I’ve given them that experience.

Two-year-olds are also developing language and starting to use words they hear around them. I chuckled to myself the other day when a 2-year-olds helped me tidy up. I said, “thank you very much for helping” and she replied, “you’re welcome”. It was such a lovely moment to have her correctly use words she’s heard me say.

At 2, children have got lots of energy. It’s so important to give them a chance to run and move and when we’re not out and about, I have a garden they can play in. The challenge at this age is that they don’t play together much. They will often play next to each other but with completely different things. For example, one will want to play with cars and while the other is cutting and sticking. As they grow, they will gradually start to play with each other.

A day in the life of a childminder

Every day is different in the life of a childminder. In the warmer months, we may take a day trip out, but we will also often go to toddler groups, the park, woods or soft play. Then, when we get home, I’ll invite the children to join in with activities that follow their interests, the seasons or something related to the outing we’ve had. For example, if we’ve been to a farm, we’ll do construction or collage with farm animals.

I have a well set out and equipped play room. So we’ll spend the rest of the day there or in the garden. We might have a story, music or songs and we’re always practicing language and numbers. The younger children will sleep after lunch, while the older ones do quiet activities such as puzzles and games.

Supporting a child’s development

In my area, the childminders can do the 2-year-old progress check, which parents then take to health visitors. We are trained, qualified childcare professionals who get to know the children really well, so we can be parents’ first port of call if they are worried about anything

Sometimes, health visitors recommend childminders for particular reasons, for example, they might think that a small group would benefit a child.

Building trust

Visiting a childminder for the first time might not easy for parents. They might want to visit without their child first, then follow up with a second visit with their child.

Once a parent has had a second visit with me, including the child, I will usually do a home visit. Not everyone does this, but I feel the child opens up more to me in their own home, and we start to build a bond. If a child is unsure about being with a childminder, it might be a good idea to try a home visit.

Following the home visit, if we have agreed to give it a go, then the child will come to me for a few visits to settle them in. The first visit could be for 10 minutes on their own, gradually increasing to a couple of hours. I will sometimes also suggest meeting at a toddler group, particularly one they are used to visiting.

My final words of advice to parents would be – give it a chance, you’ll never know until you try. And trust yourself!

Carly from Essex is a single mum with three children – two boys aged 7 and 6 as well as a little girl, aged almost 2. She has been out of work for eight years since becoming pregnant with her oldest son, but she is determined to get off benefits and find work she enjoys doing. This is her story:

How did you feel about finding childcare for your daughter?

Experiences with previous partners have left me with difficulties trusting people, so thinking about putting my little one into childcare was tough at first. But getting my children settled will help give me head space to find a job I want to do. We have just moved to a new area and the older boys are really happy in their new school. Luckily, they have a nursery attached, so I’m hoping my daughter will start there in the new term.

You discovered that your daughter was eligible for up to 15 hours per week of government funded childcare in England. How significant was this for you?

I wouldn’t have been able to put her in a nursery without the funding for 2 year olds in England.

Having my little one in nursery will give me time to look for a job or find out what the next steps are to return to studying. I’ve always wanted to be a midwife, and recently, I’ve thought about being a phlebotomist or a pharmacist. But I’ve no idea how to get there, so hopefully, my job coach can help me figure that out. It’s good to have the space to be able to imagine a different future. I couldn’t have done this a couple of years ago or even a few months ago, and I wouldn’t be able to do it without the funding.

I don’t want to be on benefits for the rest of my life, it’s important that my children see me doing something. I’m always saying to them, ‘work hard at school and you’ll be able to get a good job’. I want to show them that’s true. And that all starts with finding some confidence.

How did you find out about the funding?

When I went to the Work Club at my children’s centre, I thought “I can either sit at the back quietly and let other people talk, or I can speak up”. I decided to ask the questions I needed to know the answers to and that’s when I found out I was eligible for the 2-year-old funding.

It’s good that you can use the funding in lots of different childcare places.

What was important for you when choosing childcare for your daughter?

Choosing the nursery attached to the school was important to me for a smooth transition to full-time school and having the children all in one place, as they have had a lot of upheaval so far in their lives. It is also important that my children feel safe there. I talked to a couple of other mums at the school whose children started at the nursery and they were happy with it. I also went to have a look around and got a good feeling.

Any advice for parents who would like to begin their journey into work?

If you are in a similar position to me, I would say, take it one step at a time. This has come at the right time for me, I am ready, but you might not quite be there yet. And then, when you are ready, go to the meetings at your JobCentre and children’s centre and ask questions. There are people who want to help. Accept the help. Find out what you need to do for the future you want.

Registered childminder, Sharon, from Southend-on-Sea, works with her childminding assistant husband and has 13 children on the books. She has been childminding for 15 years and working with her husband for the past three years. She tells us what she values about offering funded places for 2-year-olds.

People don’t always know about the 2-year-old funding so I make sure I tell as many people as I can and I check their eligibility for them too, if they want me to. Some people feel they can’t ask or they think it’s a bit too complicated, so I try to make the process as easy as possible for them.

I run a well-established toddler group and any one can drop in – childminders, parents, grandparents. If I see anyone there I think could be eligible I always mention it and offer to check for them. The 2-year-old funding helps people go back to work and education and gives them space for themselves too, or whatever their family needs.

If you’re a registered childminder, have been through the early education process for 3- and 4-year-olds, and have good or outstanding rating from Ofsted, you can offer places to funded 2-year-olds as well. In our local authority, you get slightly more money for 2-year-olds than 3- and 4-year-olds.

Childminders can access the same portal we use for 3- and 4-year-olds funding to see if they families are eligible. It’s quick and easy to check, so if the parent is happy to answer questions, then you can check for them. Even if it does say they are not eligible, you can phone up the early years team to check just in case.

I’ve got one child on the 2-year-old funding that started with me when she was four months old under the Care to Learn scheme. The Care to Learn scheme is for parents aged 16-19 to help support them in education. The mum of that 2-year-old finished her A levels, and is now at university. She will now also get help with childcare funding from Student Finance and together with the 2-year-old funding, she will be able to finish her degree.

Looking after 2-year-olds is not always easy! I’ve found courses in speech and language as well as behaviour management particularly helpful. Sometimes their behaviour can be challenging and sometimes it’s down to not being able to communicate. As their vocabulary increases, it tends to get easier. The best thing about looking after 2-year-olds is watching them grow and the small things such as seeing them smile when they’ve had a good day.

Other childminders are a brilliant source of support when looking after 2-year-olds. We’ve got PACEY coordinators based in Southend as well as a network of childminders, and a local group which meets weekly. A lot of childminders are very experienced and are a brilliant source of advice, have usually seen it all before and can answer any questions.

The 2-year-old funding gives you a chance to offer experiences to children who perhaps wouldn’t get the chance otherwise. You can take them places, do activities and they can play with other children too, all while giving the families an opportunity to work, train or do whatever is right for them. It’s wonderful to see the children grow!

Caroline from Cambridgeshire worked as a teacher for 12 years but decided on a career change and hasn’t looked back. She has been a registered childminder now for over three years and (alongside her own two children) cares for children aged 0-9. She says “I love the interactions and friendships that develop between the different aged children and how they look after each other as though they are one family”.

I care for a funded two year old child who has been adopted into a same sex family. She had been attending a private nursery but her parents weren’t happy about how she was getting on there and chose a childminder for a smaller and more personal care/learning environment.

The child had a very good level of language when she started with me – in both understanding and speaking (above that of her age). She was also on track in all other prime areas although ‘making relationships’ and ‘managing feelings and behaviour’ were perhaps areas that required a bit more focus. She is a sensitive child who makes very strong bonds with other children. Managing the emotions that surround having friends and relationships with both adults and children is something I have used funding to purchase resources for.

Role play activities have played a big part in my planning. Dolls that are used as ‘babies’, a buggy for acting out every day things that families do such as going to the park, to a friend’s house, to the doctors etc. Role play that sometimes involves a Mummy and a Daddy and other times that involve two Mummies for example – play that demonstrates all family arrangements are a normal way of life but that there are differences between some families. A play kitchen for role play activities such as making dinner and it also acts as a shop. A doctors set for doctor and hospital role play as well as dressing up items (that this child particularly enjoys doing). I look after have three girls of similar age so a lot of these role play games are played together in free play time. The dynamics of play is often where I intervene to help solve conflicts and to help the child to learn about sharing as well as listening to everyone’s ideas.

My childminding setting has enabled me to give parents more detailed feedback about the child’s day, to regularly send them photographs of her activities and to work together on strategies for dealing with her emotions. The parents sent me a link to a model called PACE that they follow at home so that I can work with the same approach within my setting.

I believe the child has benefitted from me being able to take her out to playgroups (using Government funding) where she gets to mix with different children of different ages as well gaining confidence in exploring new environments. I have also used the funding to go on day trips and we have been to Hamerton Zoo, Hinchingbrook Country Park and Soft Play a number of times.

 

Billie, originally from Macedonia, is a registered childminder in Chingford, Essex. She belongs to a very active childminding network as well as Chingford Children and Family Centre (Wyemead). She believes that childminders are an excellent choice for funded two-year-olds and addresses some common worries from parents. Here is her story:

I love the job I do and I enjoy being with the children. I’ve been working as a childminder since 2010 when I noticed a neighbour having different children at her house each day and I asked her about it. I’ve been hooked ever since.

I’m not sure about my child being looked after by just one person. What happens in an emergency?

Although I work alone as a childminder, I socialise a lot with other childminders. I belong to a very active childminding network, which is fantastic. There are about 20 of us who hire a hall every week and plan activities together. We do forest school from there and we do indoor activities too. Not only will your child get to know other childminders and children in the area and have fun with them each week, if there is an emergency, I can call on them to help and your child will already be familiar with them.

I can’t afford to pay any extra money for trips or anything like that. Will my child miss out?

Some childminders charge for extras (for example, nappies or meals) and some don’t. So check with your childminder. But whatever happens, there will be an alternative so your child doesn’t miss out. For example, you could provide a packed lunch instead of paying for the childminder’s food, if they do charge extra.

I love taking my funded two-year-old boy out on trips and organise them specially on days that I know he’ll be with us. I want him to have the same opportunities as the other children, even though money is tight in his family. At the moment, I’m planning trips to The National History Museum and The National Science Museum in London. I don’t charge extra for these trips. I see them as part of my childminding service.

My two-year-old doesn’t sit still for a minute. It’s exhausting. How do you manage the needs of demanding two-year-olds?

Two-year-olds go through so many changes in such a short space of time. It’s a challenge looking after them but it is also lots of fun and rewarding too as they learn so much every day. Two-year-olds enjoy the company of other children and they thrive with some structure and routine in their lives, which is where a childminder can help.

At the moment, the funded two-year-old boy I take care of, is potty training. When he first came to me, I noticed he was ready, I had a chat with his mum and we worked out a plan together. He’s doing very well so far. It can be exhausting for parents though and it’s important they get a break, which is why the funding works so well. It can be used to work, study, look after other children, get some shopping done or put your feet up for a well-earned rest.

I’ve never met any childminders before. How do I know I can trust them?

Look out for us in parks, children’s centres or drop-ins. Watch how we take care of the children, come up and say, ‘hi’ and ask us any questions you can think of. We’re used to it! Our children’s centre has a special session for childminders which parents can join to meet us. Ask at your children’s centre to see which sessions the childminders tend to go to.

The mum of the funded two-year-old was very nervous about leaving her son with me, she is Greek so we are from a similar culture, which helped. Not all childminders are the same and not all childminders will be right for your family. Talk to a few before making up your mind. I always offer a settling-in period and the chance to talk to existing parents to help reassure new parents.

The most important thing is to give childminders a chance! We work really hard to give children the best start in life.

Educator, Kim Chauhan, is training to become a childminder as a way to combine work and family life. Her mum was a childminder, so she has experienced first-hand the benefits of having a constant stream of children in her home as a child.

I’ve worked in state and private schools for nearly 10 years in various different roles including teaching, working with children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEN) at a specialist autism school, as well as teaching rising 3s at a pre-prep school. I have also completed a part-time degree in educational studies. I wanted to use all of my educational experience to work from home, so I can be here for my young son and integrate my work with my family.

Making a difference

My mum was a childminder until I was 10 years old, so I was brought up with children in our home. Some of the children have kept in touch with her. She made a difference to their lives and they felt part of our family. I want that experience for myself and my family. It was a very positive thing for me and my sister.

Always learning

I was already thinking about becoming a childminder but when I met Kate North, a development worker from PACEY, she really helped me by talking through the steps I needed to take. I’m now on a course in home-based childcare. The tutor is very helpful. She says that they aren’t there to trip us up, but to support us so that we can pass the course.

The course has helped me to discuss my experiences in a school setting and think about how they would play out in a home setting. Usually in a school or nursery, I’d be dealing with issues collaboratively, but with childminding, I have to think about how I’d deal with things on my own in my house. Now I’ve been attending the course, I have contact numbers of organisations that will be able to give me help and support if I needed it, such as PACEY, Ofsted, children’s services as well as more specialist services.

It’s not easy to fit the homework in when I have a small son too, but I try to focus, ask questions and really understand what everything means when I’m in the class, so it’s not too bewildering at home. As course participants, we’re all in a WhatsApp group together, so we can ask each other questions and offer support. It’s really helpful having a network of people going through the same thing.

The practicalities

I’ve also been thinking of the practicalities, and how to balance the needs of other children with my own son. I’ve no idea how old the children will be, so I’m considering whether I’ll need a double buggy and the logistics of how I’ll manage to get out and about with a small group of children. I’m confident I’ll manage, but the course has been vital in giving me space to think through all the issues.

Once I’ve finished the home-based childcare course, I’ll need to do first aid and safeguarding training and be checked by Ofsted. Then I’ll be ready to go forward with the plan of becoming a childminder. I’m excited about it. I’m looking forward to putting a routine in place, to using my teaching skills and knowledge of learning through play and to being creative and planning activities the children will enjoy. And I’m really looking forward to having fun with them all!

Cathy, ex-civil service worker, has been a childminder since November 2015. She became a childminder to look after her great-niece, but after 26 years on the benefits team, she realised that she could use also use her experience to help vulnerable families and hasn’t looked back since.

I look after a vulnerable two-year-old boy with Prader-Willi syndrome, Idris, alongside two other under fives. I’ve been looking after him since he was a year old for four full days each week, while his mum works as a teacher. I pick Idris up from home and drop him off in the evening, which takes away an element of stress for her. I receive two-year-old funding for him and his mum pays for the additional hours that aren’t covered. I’ve also recently been awarded extra funding for him from the SEND panel, which will really help.

Balancing all of the children’s needs

Prader-Willi syndrome means that Idris constantly wants to eat and struggles to walk and talk, so there are challenges involved in looking after him, but we spend so much time together, we have developed a good relationship and the other children love him. I usually have two other younger children, so I have to balance how I’m going to manage with all three of them, especially when we’re out and about, which they love. I’m in a childminding group and we do forest school together, as a couple of the childminders are in training to be forest school leaders.

Preparing for school

I’ve incorporated Idris’s speech therapy into my day. I have a childminder colleague who comes to look after the other children, so I can give him that one-to-one time. Mum wants him to go to mainstream school, so we are preparing him together, now that he’s almost three. From being with me in a childminding setting, Idris is used to being around other children and joining in with the activities. It’s a good start for school. His mum and I work really closely together on his development and it’s really important that childminders are able to do that close work with the parents as well as the child.

Because it’s in a home environment and more personal, being with a childminder is an easier transition to nursery or pre-school as well as to full-time school. When we do school pick ups and drop offs, the children get used to the idea of being at school or nursery.

Benefits for All

The main benefit for Idris is that he gets to be with children who don’t have disabilities, and mum goes to work reassured that her child is being well looked after. The children develop so much together; it’s lovely to see them becoming more confident and outgoing. Because I belong to a childminding group, we’re always out with other childminders, so a larger network of children and adults have got to know him. This has really helped because we have started fundraising for him to get extra therapy. We are also part of the wider community and so when he starts school, people will recognise him there.

I provide support for the parents as well. Some mums worry about the separation from their child, when they leave them with me. But I can go at their pace and work out a nurturing, settling-in process that suits them and the child.

Providing access to two-year-old funding in England

I signed up to provide the two-year-old funding because in the early days of being registered one of the little girls I looked after went to a nursery to access the funding and then came to me afterwards. I thought that didn’t make sense, so I investigated and realised that I could provide access to the funding as well. This really helps the families of the children I look after as well as attracting new ones I might not have been able to help otherwise.

 

I have been a health visitor since 2006 and I’ve worked for the NHS for 31 years altogether. I joined the PACEY Together for Twos steering group in Greenwich to help increase take up of the two-year-old childcare funding. This funding can make a huge difference to the lives of children and families.

This project is Department for Education funded to grow the number of disadvantaged families taking up the two-year-old offer with childminders. Working in partnership with Greenwich Early Years and Childcare team the project particularly works with health visitors and JobCentre Plus staff who have direct contact with families, helping us understand how to talk to parents about childcare.

The two-year-old funding supports building community capacity and social mobility. It’s important for health visitors to be on board as we see all the new births and we have a really good understanding of the communities we work in. We witness first hand the social isolation. Anything we can do to improve health inequalities is important and the project is essential for that.

How does the project help families?

Some two-year-olds are entitled to a funded place in childcare – a childminder, nursery or pre-school. The childcare providers that offer funded places are all judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

Some families have very limited support available from friends or extended family. This can happen for all sorts of reasons, for example, they may have just arrived in the country and speak a language other than English. I have seen isolated families join a childcare setting and have their social support network extended by making friends with other parents. This helps the parents as well as the children who get more play opportunities and the chance to meet other children.

The funding pays for up to 15 hours a week of childcare during term-time or 570 hours a year. It’s life changing for the parents to get some space to take a bit of time to look at their CV, do a few hours work, attend appointments, or just to take some time for themselves.

Not only do they get time each week, parents also benefit from watching early years workers and childminders modelling how to play with children or manage behaviour. They can ask questions and discuss their worries with someone they trust and who knows their child. I’ve also seen children’s development progress greatly from being in childcare, whether that’s social and emotional or speech and language.

What can health visitors do?

As health visitors, we can tell families about the two-year-old funding and the benefits that good quality early years childcare can bring and then, in Greenwich, we can signpost the parents to children’s centres where they will be supported to apply for the funding. If they’d like us to, we can also make an introduction to a particular person there, who will help them through the process. We work closely with our children’s centre colleagues. We can ask them to call the parent to explain a bit more about the funding. This could make all the difference.

I see this as an important part of our role as parents might not have had a chance to hear about the two-year-old funding otherwise. Also, when talking to families, we can correct misconceptions about the funding such as the worry that it will get taken away if parents get a job. It’s about giving them up-to-date information and signposting them for further support. Each family will make a different choice about childcare, but they can’t make that choice without all of the information available.

Why childminders in particular?

We also work towards dispelling the myths about childminders. We explain that the childminders and nurseries where you can access the funding for two-year-olds are all inspected by Ofsted as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’. One type of childcare isn’t better than another, each one will suit each child differently. Some two year olds will benefit from being in a nurturing, home environment with a childminder, with fewer children. It very much depends on the individual child.

Some parents might benefit more from the flexibility that childminders can provide. It could be condensed hours for working patterns, or one-off availability so that the parent can attend a hospital appointment. It’s important to raise the profile of childminders so that parents see them as a viable alternative choice for early years education. It’s important that they are seen as educators as well as carers. It’s only an informed choice for parents if childminders have a profile and they know enough about childminders.

A parent who is struggling with trusting someone to take care of their child might find it easier to build up a one-to-one relationship with a childminder, than with a nursery where there are multiple staff members. This consistent relationship will help vulnerable families who deal with day-to-day challenges. For example, parents may be very young themselves and can benefit from the older, more experienced childminder’s support. Ultimately, it’s a choice for each eligible family.

I’m convinced. How do I pass the message on to my colleagues?

To get more health visitors on board and really keen to promote the two-year-old funding, I invited PACEY project childminding development worker, Sally Heron, to talk to our team. Local childminders also attended to explain registration, Ofsted accreditation and more about their day-to-day role. It was great to hear the enthusiasm and details first-hand.

I’ve really enjoyed being part of the steering group. I think the work PACEY has done has raised the profile of childminders within the service. It’s really worthwhile. What we don’t want is children on nursery waiting lists while there are childminders available. We need to keep the message out there that they are doing a valuable job for the family and community.

written by Jo-Anne Linnane, Professional Development Lead, Health Visiting, Greenwich 0-19 service

 

Mum of two, Fariba, left a career in recruitment to spend more time with her young children and is now on the path to following her dream of becoming a childminder. This is her story:

I’ve always liked the idea of working with children. Being a teacher or working in a nursery has been in the back of my mind for a long time. For about 25 years! When I gave up my career in recruitment after my second period of maternity leave, the thought started to resurface.

The long hours working in recruitment don’t fit with being at home with my family, so I explored other paths around the idea of working with children. To begin with, I thought of becoming a teaching assistant, but I found out that training was no longer available from the Jobcentre, and then I came across a childminding course via Xcite, a local agency helping people into the workforce. I got the Xcite details from Cedars Children’s Centre when I asked for advice on getting into working with children.

A business that fits around family

Xcite mentioned a course in childminding and it seemed to fit with everything I’ve ever dreamed of doing: working with children, while running my own business as well as fitting around the needs of my family. While the children are small (aged 1 and 3 now), it is the perfect time to retrain as there is no hurry and I can fit the studying in around them.

Persistence pays off

But there was one problem. Xcite were only funding the training for people who already in work (full or part time). It didn’t make sense to me. I wanted to do the training so that I could get back into work. I didn’t take “no” for an answer and kept returning to the person I’d been in contact with at Xcite, asking if she could please check with her managers to find out if there is any way they would fund me. Eventually, she came back to me to say PACEY could fund the course as part of a pilot they were running in my local authority. I was over the moon.

I have loved the Level 3 course: Preparing to Work in Home-Based Childcare, especially the child development modules as I learned so much about my own children and could put the lessons into practice straightaway. However, it wasn’t always easy to find the time to do all the studying with a 1 and 3-year-old at home, especially as I was on my own as my partner had to work night shift. It also didn’t help that as I was only at college for two sessions before lockdown, so it all had to be managed from home.

One step at a time

I sometimes got up early and went to bed late, finding time to study while the children were sleeping. I was worried I wouldn’t have the energy to continue. But I’m so glad I did. I’m really looking forward to opening my doors as a childminder, but I’m taking things slowly, one step at a time, so it doesn’t get overwhelming.

I have now completed the paediatric first aid course and passed. So now I’m busy continuing with the registration process and getting my house ready for my Ofsted visit.

Just do it!

My advice to other people thinking of becoming a childminder is: just do it! If you’re thinking about it, it means you’ve got an interest in it. Listen to that voice. It takes three months of study to get started, which isn’t long at all. If you think you will not have the time, trust me, if you really want to do it, one way or another you will find the time and it is so worth doing.

One of my dreams when I was younger was to set up a nursery, so you never know, at some point, I may do that. But for right now I am very excited to start my own business as a childminder and see how this journey pans out for me.