Recruitment drive for childminders following rise in demand from families
14 Jun 2024 ARCHIVED (over 3 months old) - view latest news
Northumberland County Council is offering free support and advice to entrepreneurs seeking to set up their own childminding business.
Demand for childminders is increasing across the county as childcare support for families expands.
Start-up grants of £600 are available along with free support from the council’s Early Years team.
The team are hosting a drop-in event at Hexham Family Hub on
Tuesday 18th June for anyone who would like to chat to other childminders, speak to members of the Early Years team and find out more about this rewarding and flexible career.
Sharing her experiences at the event is childminder Gemma Luke. Gemma, who lives in Hexham, used to work as a nanny and started childminding so she could work flexibly around her own two children.
She said: “Working as a childminder was perfect for me, as it meant I could work flexibly around my own children and family life.
“For me, the most rewarding part of the job is watching the children grow and develop.
“We also have the freedom to plan our own days and so go out to parks and libraries and the allotment. I enjoy having a small number of children so you can give them more one-on-one attention and it feels like they become part of my family.
“I also meet up with other childminders and have close links with my local school and playgroup, so it doesn’t feel like you are working alone, but are part of a wider community.”
Find out more and sign up here: https://nland.cc/EarlyYearsCareers
Eligible working parents in England can now apply for 15 hours childcare for a child aged 9 months old and over.
It’s the latest stage in the rollout of the expansion to childcare support for families.
Since April 2024, hundreds of thousands of families have accessed 15 hours of government-funded childcare for their two-year-olds.
Now, eligible working parents can now apply for 15 hours of government-funded childcare for children who are aged between nine-months and 23-months-old.
From September 2025, this will be extended further so eligible working parents with children between 9 months up to school age can access 30 hours childcare.
David Street, the council’s Director of Education, SEND and Skills, said: “Childminding is a very special role and essential work to support children and their families in our communities.
“It also offers entrepreneurs a chance to start their own business and there’s plenty of support to help manage start-up costs.
“For anyone thinking of starting a new career or returning to the profession, our team are here to support you and we hope these events will be a great way to meet people already working in the sector who can share lots of advice.”
If you would like to know more about becoming a childminder or about other career opportunities in early years and childcare including apprentices, head over to our Early Years recruitment page to find out more.
https://nland.cc/EarlyYearsCareers
Hexham Professional Childminder Network
Tuesday 18th June 2024
09:30-11:30
Hexham Family Hub
An informal drop-in session with Northumberland County Council’s Early Years team come along to have a chat and get answers to any childminding queries. Children welcome.