Childminders care for babies and children, aged up to 16. They usually work in their own homes.

The Work

You could be:

• making sure the children you care for are safe and well looked after
• changing nappies, cooking, feeding and washing the children
• giving emotional support to children, making sure they are secure and happy
• encouraging children to learn through books, toys and games
• taking young children to parks, toddler groups and playgroups, and encouraging them to play with other children
• taking older children to nursery and school and collecting them at the end of the day
• respecting the wishes of children’s parents about daily routines, diet and religion
• negotiating contracts and fees with parents.

You might specialise in looking after children with special needs.

Pay

The figures below are only a guide. Actual pay rates vary, depending on:

• where you work
• the demand for the job.

Childminders are self-employed and therefore negotiate their own rates of pay and working conditions. They are responsible for their own tax and National Insurance (NI) payments.

There is no national rate for fees but across Scotland rates can be between £5.00 and £10.00 per child per hour. Most childminders offer a reduced rate if they look after more than one child from the same family.

Conditions

• You would be self-employed, usually working from your own home, so work arrangements vary.
• Young children need a lot of physical care such as feeding and toileting.
• Children can be noisy and demanding.
• You would probably have pre-school children all day and school age children before and after school, so hours can be long, including early mornings, afternoons and evenings.
• To some extent, you can set your own hours of work but you might need to be flexible and negotiate with the parents of the children you care for.
• Depending on your home, you can care for no more than 6 children under 12 (including your own children). No more than 3 of these may be of pre-school age and no more than 1 should be under 1 year old.
• If you provide a food service for the children, you will have to register with the local authority's environmental health department.
• You could choose what ages of children to care for – some childminders do not take babies under 2, some do not take children over 12.

Useful Subjects

• Care
• Childcare and Development
• SfW Early Learning and Childcare

Getting In

• You do not always need formal qualifications but previous experience with children is very desirable.
• You could start by studying the Foundation Apprenticeship Social Services: Children and Young People at SCQF Level 6 when you are in S5 or S6 at school. Check with your school for entry requirements as they can vary.
• If you want to study at college, you could take an NC or NQ (SCQF Levels 4-6) in a childcare subject (see Early Years Practitioner).
• You must be registered with the Care Inspectorate to work as a childminder. This can take up to 6 months.
• The Care Inspectorate will interview you and visit your home to check that it is safe for children. They may ask you to put in, for instance, stair gates. You have to meet fire regulations.
• You will require a satisfactory criminal record check from Disclosure Scotland to show that you are suitable for this type of work. Contact Disclosure Scotland for details on the type you would need. This applies to all members of your household aged 16 and over. The Care Inspectorate will do further checks each year.
• You must be at least 18 years of age.
• You must be fit and healthy to supervise and care for children.

Job Outlook Scotland

Job Outlook Scotland and UK

  Scotland

2026

923

1.2 %

RISE

2031

934

  United Kingdom

2026

11653

2.9 %

RISE

2031

11996

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What Does it Take?

You should be:

• practical and well organised
• aware of the needs of young children
• warm and friendly – to give children emotional support
• interested in the education and development of young children
• able to get on well with children
• able to multitask and look after several children at once
• able to remain calm and have lots of patience
• responsible
• confident.

You should have:

• imagination and initiative for planning activities
• common sense
• the ability to stay calm in an emergency
• an understanding of different cultures and parenting styles.

Training

• The SCMA runs approved short courses, usually in association with local authorities or colleges.
• The SCMA also offers a continuous professional learning (CPL) programme to keep your skills and knowledge up to date. Contact the SCMA for details.

Getting On

• You may wish to do further training to get a full qualification in childcare and education (see Early Years Practitioner). This will develop your skills but will not change the work you do as a childminder.
• You may choose to be a childminder if you have young children and then move into work as a nursery nurse when your children are older.

More Information

Remember that when you set up as a childminder you will have to pay for:

• your registration with the Care Inspectorate
• insurance to cover you in case of any accidents
• possible alterations to your house or garden to make them safe
• equipment, including high chairs, toys, games, books, smoke alarms, fire guards and fire blankets
• first aid training.

Start up costs are variable depending on how much you need to do to comply with regulations. If you are eligible for SCMA's Programme for Scotland's Childminding Future, which is funded by the Scottish government, you could receive a minimum start up grant of £750.00.

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Contacts

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.