Comeau looks after 19 children between the ages of one and 10. "I started off this morning with a one-year-old, two-year-old and three-year-old, and this afternoon I will have six schoolchildren; there is such a difference even in a day."
As a childminder, Comeau feels more independent than she would working in a nursery. "I have just finished a BA in early years, and I was able to include that in my practice easily."
Some childminders can find the role quite isolating, but Comeau says there is much more support available than when she started out. The NCMA has launched an online forum and there are local groups where childminders can meet up and the children can play together. Comeau herself offers support to new childminders in her area, on the phone and face-to-face.
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