The image of childminding has been tainted in recent months. An Ofsted report in the summer revealed that the number of childminders judged to be inadequate has doubled since 2005, while the number providing good or outstanding childcare dropped. What's more, the availability of childminders is also decreasing: another Ofsted study showed the number of registered childminders in England had fallen by more than 4,000 in the past year and by 8,400, or 11.5 per cent, in the past four years.
Despite declining numbers and slipping standards, childminders are a crucial element of early years provision offered by local authorities. Alison Ruddock, head of early years at Islington Council, says they plug a gap in the provision currently available. "There are not nearly enough nursery places for children under three," she says. In addition, childminders offer parents more options. "Some parents prefer childcare in the home. We need to provide choice to enable parents to go to work," she adds.
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