Childminder agencies, first launched in 2013, have got off to a very slow start, with just eight currently registered with Ofsted. After the initial flurry of activity, many wondered if the idea had been put on the back burner.
However, the Department for Education seems determined to rekindle the roll-out of agencies across England, and has funded 4Children to guide organisations through the registration process and provide ongoing support after registration. The charity will also offer agencies help with marketing themselves to childminders and parents.
‘The DfE has had other priorities, such as the delivery of the 30 funded hours, so there has been little activity on childminder agencies,’ says Sue Robb, head of early years at 4Children. ‘Now they are on the agenda again.’ The charity has been running events for organisations that have shown an interest in becoming an agency and updated its online toolkit for aspiring agencies (www.foundationyears.org.uk/child-minders).
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