Background
Childminder support services are provided by the Childminding Development Team within the Learning and School Effectiveness Service based at our Badminton Road Offices, Yate.
Services offered to all childminders
- A telephone helpline to all prospective or registered childminders
- An answerphone service will be available outside office hours where you can leave a message
- A training programme that reflects the training needs of childminders
- Business support
- Liaison with OfSTED on issues relating to childminding
- Specific documents available to support and develop a childminder's practice
- Regular newsletters updating childminders with current issues
- Support for childminders to become quality assured
- Pro-active work with childminders to support children's centres and the extended schools agenda
- Support with working to meet EYFS requirements
Services offered to new childminders
- A 'Support Childminder Scheme' where existing, experienced childminders are contracted to support their newly-registered colleagues. These support childminders are known as 'Lead Childminders'
- Support is available from the Childminding Development Team for those requiring assistance when completing the grant forms
- Support sessions
Services offered to childminding groups
- Support and training for existing childminding groups and support to develop new groups where appropriate
- Support given to the childminder's toy library in South Gloucestershire
Additional support services for childminders
We offer support visits to all childminders prior to Ofsted carrying out a graded inspection and to those who want to develop their practice. Telephone support for all childminders during office hours and training sessions focused meeting EYFS requirements.
The Childminding Development Team has created the following documents especially for childminders in South Gloucestershire to support them through the graded inspection process:
- Risk assessment form
- Risk assessments for outings for your setting to include indoors and outdoors
- Requirements checklist
- Observation, assessment and planning documents
Promoting a healthy lifestyle
This project supports Early Years settings - Pre-schools, Nurseries, and Childminders, to promote healthy eating and physical activity.
A range of workshops are advertised in the South Gloucestershire Professional Learning Community Early Years Training (Department for Children and Young People) and include:
- Cooking with children
- Dance for Children ages 2 - 5
- Fun and fitness for the under 5's
- Grow and Eat
- Infection control
- Menu planning
- Promoting self esteem at snack and mealtimes
- Sun safety
Resources can be borrowed free of charge from Yate, Bradley Stoke and Kingswood libraries and include: Healthy eating box, Dental health box, Hand washing machine and a Physical play box.
For more information please type in 'Promoting a healthy lifestyle' into the search box at the top of this page.
Latest news
Since 1 April 2005 the Childminding Development Workers have supported childminders in South Gloucestershire to achieve above average Outstanding and Good reports as graded by Ofsted. The number of childminders judged ‘outstanding’ in South Gloucestershire is higher than the current England average.
The hard work and dedication of the development workers has directly contributed to improving childminding services for the families of South Gloucestershire and the children that attend those settings. The quality of this work can be seen in the inspection outcomes.
The team has had a significant impact in improving the quality of childcare for childminders in South Gloucestershire and work hard to promote the role of childminders in providing a valuable service to parents requiring flexible high quality childcare.
More information
The Childminding Development Team have a range of supportive documents suitable for childminders, please contact the Childminding Team if you would like assistance with writing policies & procedures, observations, assessments and planning. Please contact the Childminding Team on 01454 868008.
Also please check the 'Read more' section on this page for helpful documents.