Become a registered childminder in England

Use this guide if you are thinking about caring for other people's children in your own home in England for payment. Have a rough idea of your household members, your home layout and garden, and the hours you could open. Rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and this is general information, not legal advice.

Step by step

1. Check the work, your home and your household

   Childminding means long days, often from early morning to early evening, plus planning, observations, paperwork, cleaning and admin in the evenings, and your home becomes a workplace. Everyone in your home aged 16 or over will need an enhanced DBS check, and Ofsted does not consider banned dog breeds, such as XL Bully types, compatible with childcare on domestic premises, so check the current rules if one lives with you. Check you have safe space indoors and out, can make stairs, kitchen, ponds and gardens safe, and that your landlord, mortgage lender and home insurer agree in writing. Decide whether to register with Ofsted or with a childminder agency; an agency charges a fee and provides support and inspections, while Ofsted registration has its own fee, so compare both.