Government unveils childminder agency pilot areas

The organisations – mostly local councils – will test new government arrangements for supporting childminders with training and business advice, while making it easier for parents to access home-based childcare.

In addition, the government hopes the agencies, which started operating over the summer, will encourage more individuals into the profession while reducing the cost of childcare for parents.

Councillor Paul Watling, from Telford and Wrekin Council, one of the local authorities taking part in the pilot, explained more about the idea behind the agencies.

He said: “While we know that parents will still want to ensure they have peace of mind when choosing the minder for their child, the creation of the agency gives them the option of being matched with an appropriate childminder should they want it.

“The agency model also means they can arrange cover when a childminder falls ill. Existing childminders still have the choice of registering with the agency or with Ofsted, which is the route they use at the moment.”

Pilot participants, which include South Gloucestershire Council, Trio Childcare and Hampshire County Council, will work closely with 4Children, the Department for Education’s strategic partner for early years and childcare.

Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, said: “We look forward to facilitating the trials and considering the evidence that comes out of the evaluations to see if it suggests new and better ways to support parents and childminders.

“Childminders love their work and report high satisfaction in their job. However, we must ensure that childminding remains an attractive proposition and find ways of bringing new people into the profession and enabling them to focus their efforts on what they and families want.”

The government has not set a date for the pilot to end – it will be left to the organisations taking part to decide – but it hopes that the first agencies will be able to register and be inspected by Ofsted from September next year.