1�Who Minds? April/May 2011

Professional focus

Facebook, or I’ll send an email toeveryone to generally ask how thingsare going about once a month.”

Sharon Willoughby-Parker fromDoncaster has been childminding forseven years and began as a supportchildminder five years ago. She visitsthe childminders she’s supportingat their homes or at the local children’scentre where they have theopportunity to network with otherlocal childminders.

The support childminding contractusually lasts for 12 months with varyingamounts of support. Sharon says,“Somemay need one phone call a month, butsome may need more. For example, Iaccompanied one childminder to ameeting with a family support worker.She didn’t feel confident enough to berecognised as a professional. She dealtwith the meeting, and I was there formoral support.”

See resultsSeeing direct results is a rewardingpart of the job. Sharon thrives onwatching childminders she supportsdoing well. For example, she supporteda childminder called Nicola, who hadtaken a three-year break from her workand was getting ready to register again,but in the meantime she was due anOfsted inspection from the first time.Sharon says, “Nicola was unaware of allthe changes that had taken placeduring that time, including theintroduction of the EYFS. She wasawarded inadequate and wasdevastated. I gave her confidence bysupporting her through updating allher paperwork and procedures, andlistening to her while she worked outwhat to do on her own. She hadanother inspection seven months later,and was awarded good.”

Make more friendsCarol says that one of the mostrewarding benefits of being a supportchildminder is that it broadens herfriendship with other childminders. Shesays, “When I’m planning outings in thesummer, I’ll invite the childmindersI’m supporting as well as ones I’vesupported in the past. It’s so rewardingwhen I get good feedback or see achildminder I’ve supported happily

surrounded by children and doing reallywell, for example one of them has juststarted a foundation degree.”

Dee agrees and explains, “being asupport childminder has helped makeme more confident with adults. I wasquite shy before I started this job. Now Ican chat with people easily. It doesn’ttake up too much time and it’s nice tohave other people around to talk to andshare ideas, because we all learn fromeach other.”

Share ideasSharing ideas is one of the benefits thatcomes from going to childminder drop-ins where childminders often supporteach other informally. “Recently, wewere looking at activities for ChineseNew Year, and we all talked about theideas we had. It gives you an insight

into different ways of doing things,”saysSharon who appreciates the addedvalue that the group at her children’scentre gives her. “We encourage newchildminders to go to the drop-in at thechildren’s centre, so they don’t feelisolated and can start to build uppartnerships with more experiencedchildminders and other healthprofessionals.”

TrainingSharon also appreciates the extratraining she gets by being part of anetwork and part of the supportchildminding scheme. “The trainingwe get is brilliant; we tell the projectmanager what we need and she will tryto organise it. For example, we’ve donepersonal safety, counselling, Makaton, acomputer course and extra first-aid.

Professional focus

Setting up in business as achildminder for the first timecan be daunting. There is somuch to think about, from the

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)to what to expect from an Ofstedinspection, to all the paperworkrequired for running your childcarebusiness, let alone the responsibility oftaking care of other people’s children.

Support childminders, sometimesknown as “buddies”, are establishedand experienced, and can be therein the early days to offer advice andinformation for new childminderssetting up a childminding business.They can also help childminders whowant to improve the quality of theirprovision following an Ofstedinspection. Sometimes a supportchildminding scheme is run throughan existing childminding network.

Give something backCarol Smith, from Andover, has been aregistered childminder for 14 years.When she started, there weren’t anysupport childminding schemes, and sherelied on the advice of more experiencedchildminders who gave talks at the initialtraining sessions.“One in particular wasfantastic,”says Carol.“She told me that if Ineeded anything, to call her. I had somany questions about filling in contractsand the day-to-day running of mybusiness, and her advice was so valuablethat I wanted to give the same back toother childminders by becoming asupport childminder.”

Dee Horwood from Aylesbury hasbeen a registered childminder for sixyears and has beena supportchildminder forthree. She had a

“buddy” when she started childmindingand appreciated the support so muchthat she jumped at the chance to do thesame for other childminders startingout. She says, “I was giving up my officecareer to look after children on my own,and having the support from someonewho had been there and done it gaveme so much confidence in theearly days.”

Part of theworking daySupport childminding workcan be fitted in as part of your workingroutine. Carol says, “I’m always on theend of the phone if they need anything,want to chat, or ask questions. I alsostay in touch with most of thechildminders I’m supporting via

Mel Parks hears from four experienced childminders who are supporting otherchildminders in their area to help them prepare for Ofsted inspections, set up systems,policies and procedures, or simply provide a listening ear.

Carol Smith

Dee Horwood

It’s so rewarding when I get goodfeedback or see a childminder I’vesupported happily surrounded bychildren and doing really well

Beingasupportchildminder

1� Magazine of the National Childminding Association

Professional focus

Being part of a network is alsoimportant for contacts when I needprofessional advice to support one ofthe childminders, or to track downresources such as a Braille book when Iwas doing sensory work with thechildren recently.”

Professional supportSandra Davis, a registered childminderwith early years professional status(EYPS) from Hampshire joined Gosportchildminding network two years ago,through which she works as acommunity and accredited childminder.She was regularly attending aprofessional support session at LittleWaves Children’s Centre when she wasasked to run the sessions as a leadsupport childminder. “I didn’t hesitate,”she says. “I was keen to play a part inraising the quality of childminding

locally. I run the support session once amonth at the children’s centre. I welcomenew childminders, offer encouragementand advice, and signpost them to otherservices, or websites for information. Itwas excellent experience to help megain EYPS.”

Sharon’s advice to childminders isclear, “Even though I’d been achildminder for five years, I didn’t join anetwork until two years ago. Being partof the network has given me manymore opportunities – I am a communitychildminder, lead support childminderand have also offered early yearseducation to disadvantaged 2-year-oldsas part of the government’s pilotscheme. I think it contributed to mybeing awarded Outstanding in all areas.Don’t be frightened to get out of yourcomfort zone. Stick your neck out andbe confident.”

You could be a great supportchildminder if you are:

WILLINGTO HELP: You enjoyhelping other people, arealready offering advice to newchildminders and enjoy sharingideas.

READYTO GIVE SOMETHINGBACK: You appreciate the adviceand support you had when you firstset up and want to share yourexperiences with others, givingsomething back to thechildminding community.

CONFIDENT INYOURPAPERWORK: Paperwork is theone area that new childmindersoften need support with, so youhave your EYFS observations, riskassessments, policies, proceduresand permission slips up to date.

HAPPYTOTAKE ON NEW IDEAS:Childminders learn from eachother, and you are always willing toexplore new ideas and share yourown experiences. You also attendtraining sessions to keep yourpractice up to date.

GOOD AT LISTENING ANDENCOURAGING: Supporting otherchildminders is not doing the workfor them. You are patient, canexplain things clearly, helpchildminders make their owndecisions and give them theconfidence to believe inthemselves.

Being asupportchildminder

LEFT: SharonWilloughby-Parker

BELOW:Sandra Davis

What next?Find out if there is a supportchildminding scheme in yourarea, by calling your early yearsdevelopment workeror network coordinator. Ifthere is not yet a supportchildminding scheme, why notoffer to help set one up?

Don’t befrightened to

get out of yourcomfort zone.

Stick your neckout and beconfident