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Childminders must take a first aid course and an introductory childcare course as part of registration. Whilst there is no requirement to complete further training courses, as long as you have the necessary knowledge to meet the National Childminding Standards, many childminders do go on to do so.

Training can help you extend your knowledge on subjects such as special needs or child development; develop new skills such as business management; or update your knowledge of current guidelines and regulations. Qualifications also provide formal recognition of your experience which may be useful if you want to work in other areas of the childcare sector in the future.

There are a wide range of courses suitable for childminders. Some courses result in formal qualifications recognised nationally such as NVQ’s or degrees, others, particularly day training courses, have a certificate of attendance.

Formal Qualifications

The National Qualification Framework sets out five levels of qualification. Level 1 (also known as foundation level) is equivalent to GCSE grades D-G, and foundation level GNVQ’s. Level 2 (intermediate) is equivalent to GCSE grades A*-C and intermediate GNVQ’s. Level 3 (advanced) is equivalent to A levels and advanced GNVQ’s. Level 4 and 5 correspond to higher-level qualifications such as degrees.

NVQ levels are based on this framework e.g. NVQ 3 is a level 3 qualification. Childminders generally take level 3 qualifications or above (as they supervise themselves at work), though you may feel you would prefer to start with a lower level first.

• Diploma in Home-based Childcare (Level 3)
• Diploma for the Children and Young People’s Workforce (Level 3)
• Certificate in Early Years Foundation Stage Practice (Level 3 CPD)
• Safeguarding Children and Young People (Level 3)
• NVQ 3 in Children’s Care, Learning and Development (Level 3)
• Foundation Degree in (Level 5)
  • Early Childhood Studies
  • Early Years Childcare and Education
  • Working with Children (Early Years)
  • Early Years Senior Practitioner
• Early Years Professionals (EYP’s) (Level 6)

Short Courses

There are also a range of short courses that provide a mix of nationally recognised qualifications and practice based training. These include:

• Basic Food Hygiene/Food Safety Certificate
• Safeguarding Children
• First Aid Training for Childcarers

Short courses in relevant subjects such as business management and multicultural cooking, although not specifically for childcarers may also be useful.