You must register as a childminder with Ofsted or a childminder agency if you:
- look after one or more children under the age of eight
- do this for more than a total of two hours a day
- are looking after these children in a domestic setting (normally your own home)
- are paid or rewarded for this work
Childminders can now choose to register to work solely from a non-domestic premises instead of working from their home. This category of childcare is known as ‘Childminders without domestic premises’.
Childminders:
- must be 18 years or older
- are usually self-employed
- can work with other childminders and assistants