Becoming a Childminder

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A flexible and rewarding career

With a fantastic package of support, funding and training available, get ready to take the first steps towards establishing your new childminding business.

Download our free guide

Benefits of becoming a
childminder

Group

Work from home

Group

Flexible hours

Make a real difference

How does
it work?

Take the first steps towards becoming a childminder. It’s simple to get started.

First steps

Explore all the information on this page then get in touch when you’re ready to get started.

We’ll help you check if you’re eligible for the programme.

Funding & Support

You receive a minimum £750 grant to help kick-start your business, free training, one-to-one support from our dedicated experts, and your first year of SCMA membership free!

Start your journey today

Registering

All childminders in Scotland are registered with the Care Inspectorate as a child care provider.

This process could take around 6 months. SCMA provides support with registration every step of the way.

Need to know more? Read our FAQs

What our childminders love about childminding

I really love childminding. It has provided me with the opportunity to be there for my son, and I can earn a steady income. It feels like a ‘win-win’!

People who may find themselves in a similar position to me, particularly in rural areas where childcare is hard to find, can solve their own childcare issues while operating a valuable service locally. It’s so flexible too, we can start our own business working the hours we want, and that suit our own family circumstance. There’s not many jobs as rewarding as this which provide the same benefits.

Samantha McMillan

My favourite thing about being a childminder is welcoming the children into my home and creating a really nurturing environment.

I love how the children are all different – it’s so rewarding being able to play an active part in their development. I would recommend anyone thinking about becoming a childminder to do it. It’s hard work but is the most rewarding job.

Karen Fraser

Becoming a professional childminder is one of the best things I’ve ever done.

I have the flexibility of setting my own hours, so I work four days per week. It enables me to earn an income and do a job that I absolutely love.

Zoe Elizabeth Thwaites

Here to help

SCMA are here to help you at every step of your childminding journey.

I’m interested!
What happens now?

We provide dedicated, one-to-one support and can answer all your questions

Childminder reading a book to three children in a colourful playroom

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started with the Programme for Scotland’s Childminding Future

Check our list further up this webpage to see if your area is one of the 27 participating local authority areas taking part in the Programme for Scotland’s Childminding Future. If so, the best place to get started on your journey to becoming a childminder is to download our free guide and let us know you’re interested! 

The programme offers a minimum £750 start-up grant, training and one-to-one support from a dedicated Workforce Officer. 

To become a childminder via this programme, candidates should live in one of the local authorities listed and, where appropriate, within one of the specific communities being targeted. Due to the way the programme is funded, there may also be eligibility criteria stipulated in some participating local authorities linked to the funding they have contributed. SCMA’s dedicated Workforce Officers support candidates on a one-to-one basis and will discuss elements such as eligibility following your application to become a childminder via the programme for Scotland’s Childminding Future. 

As a participant on the PSCF, once you have completed registration with the Care Inspectorate and HMRC, you’ll have access to a minimum £750* business start-up grant which can be used to help with any start-up costs and to reimburse you for purchases. It is good practice to keep receipts to provide proof of purchase.  

*£750 minimum – value may vary in some local authority areas.

Additional information on applying for the start-up-grant is available via your Workforce Officer and through our support sessions which you will have access to as a candidate on the programme. 

Places on the programme for eligible candidates are allocated on a first-come-first served basis so please make sure you complete the required information as quickly as possible.

  • Childminding induction training and your first year of SCMA membership
  • One-to-one tailored support throughout
  • Start-up package of three childminding specific training courses
  • Minimum £750* Business Start-Up Grant (the value of this may vary throughout local authority areas)

If you live in a local authority area not currently listed on our webpage, don’t worry, it is still possible to become a childminder.  While the approach is different and the same funding is not available, you will receive expert support from SCMA.

  • Click the ‘Get Started’ button on our webpage
  • Add your information & details
  • Choose the option ‘my local authority isn’t listed’
  • We’ll send you our helpful ‘becoming a childminder’ guide

We recommend that you enrol onto the Scottish Childminding Association’s Childminding Induction Support Programme, which will help you with the childminding registration process and establishing your childminding business with confidence.  Please call SCMA on 01786 445377 ‘option two’ for more information on our induction support and to make your booking with a credit or debit card. 

You may be able to look at a business grant and/or support through local agencies.  

If there is any change to your local authority area not participating in PSCF we will get in touch to let you know. 

You can also call the SCMA Helpline on 01786 449063 to discuss becoming a childminder with one of our friendly team.

Common Childminding Questions

Childminders often come into the workforce with a valuable range of life experience and skills. While many childminders have worked with children in other settings such as schools or nurseries previously, many have also had entirely different and varied careers before – in marketing, law, teaching, and hairdressing to name just a few!  You will no doubt have valuable life experience that can be transferred into your new role as a childminder. 

You do need to be passionate about working with children and supporting their learning and development and confident that you can provide a safe, nurturing, supportive environment for children within your setting.

Childminders normally care for a maximum of six children at any one time under the age of 16, of whom no more than three are not yet attending primary school and of whom no more than one is under twelve months.

You should also consider your own children, and any children in your household, and their ages – as they are always included within the maximum number of children you can care for at any one time. 

Yes, of course! Many childminders have pets, and they are very much part of the family – and are certainly not a barrier to your childminding service. Childminders often observe that children find it easy to relate to animals, and they offer a further learning opportunity that children find fun and engaging. Children learn how to care for the animal, and it encourages them to take responsibility, become involved in the care of their own pets, and develop an understanding of risk and how to keep safe. 

No, the legal definition of childminding requires delivery on domestic premises and the specific unique nature of childminding is that it is home-based – and as a childminder, you will be providing childcare from a typical family home that is both nurturing and safe, and likely to be similar to the child’s own home. However, childminding involves a high element of outdoors play and activity and some childminders also meet up with other childminders to participate in local childminding groups. If you plan to provide a childcare service from a community venue, or another venue that is not a home – we would advise that you speak to the Care Inspectorate in advance and before you begin the registration process. This is because your chosen venue, or type of setting, is unlikely be classified as childminding, and you may need to register as a different form of childcare.

Yes – membership of PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) is required. You will automatically apply for PVG membership, as part of the Care Inspectorate registration process. In addition, people living in your house aged 16 or older will need to apply for an Enhanced Disclosure, as part of your childminding application. 

Once you have submitted your application for registration to the Care Inspectorate, registration could take an average of up to 6 months. This is dependent on you submitting all the relevant information for your application to be processed.

More than 80% of childminders in Scotland are SCMA members – it includes a range of exclusive benefits which help to support your childminding career

SCMA is always looking to provide best value for members, and our membership is inclusive of SCMA Practitioner Insurance to cover your childminding activities.

  • FREE Continuous Professional Learning; a host of resources and funded learning in your Membership Dashboard
  • You’re part of a wider network of professional childminders – be part of something bigger!
  • Exclusive access for members to advertise online via our online childminder search service
  • Exclusive access to our Annual Conference, training & regular updates including our dedicated Childminding Magazine
  • Access to our SCMA helpline and childcare and legal helplines for guidance

For more information on SCMA membership benefits, please visit our membership page.

Will My Home Be Suitable to Childmind From?

Childminders operate from a range of house types! As long as you provide a safe, nurturing place for children, your childminding business can operate from a detached or semi-detached house, bungalow, flat or any other type of home.

You don’t need a garden either, childminders are great at getting out and about and using public spaces to ensure children spend that all-important time outside.

If you have any concerns about whether your home is suitable, it is also possible to make a ‘pre-application request’ to the Care Inspectorate before starting the application to register as a childminder.  Your dedicated Workforce Officer can also help advise and support you on making this request. 

 

There is no requirement for you to have a dedicated playroom or specific area for your childminding service. The unique nature of childminding is that it is home-based childcare. You will be providing childcare from a typical family home, that is both nurturing and safe, and likely to be similar to the child’s own home. If you do have a playroom, or a space that you wish to use specifically for childminding – this may be useful, but it is not essential nor necessary.  

Regardless of whether you have a playroom or not, areas such as your living room, hallway, bathroom/toilet, kitchen, and garden (if available) will form your childminding setting. You may also decide that some areas are off limits, e.g., bedrooms or a formal dining room. This will all depend on your own home, which areas are suitable, and what space you want to open up to your minded children.  

Ultimately the decision as to whether your home is suitable to be a childminding setting is for the Care Inspectorate to determine. However, it is important to bear in mind that they are simply looking for a typical home environment for your potential setting – they are not interested in your décor or whether you have lots of rooms to spare, or not if that is the case. The unique nature of childminding is that it is a home-based, family-centred childcare service – and this comes in all shapes and sizes, whether it be a two-bedroom flat in an urban area, or a large farm in the countryside.  The Care Inspectorate will determine whether your home is suitable and will take this into account when deciding on the size and capacity of your future service. Having a garden is certainly a benefit for promoting outdoor play and learning; however, it is not essential. Provided you have and make use of outdoor space of some kind, whether it be a local park or nearby green space, this should be sufficient.  

Yes, you can childmind from a rented property, however, you will need to obtain written permission from your landlord, to ensure you are allowed to operate a childminding service from the premises, and have permission to do so. The written permission will be requested by the Care Inspectorate as part of the registration process.  

Training

There are no specific professional qualifications needed to become a childminder, however, it is good practice for all to complete SCMA’s Childminding Induction Support Programme and 12 hours of continued professional learning (CPL) per year to ensure the high quality of your childminding business. It is also essential that you have a passion for working with and supporting the learning and development of children.

You must register with the Care Inspectorate to become a childminder. SCMA will support you at every stage of registration and beyond, our dedicated staff are experts and here to help

If you are planning to deliver funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) as a partner provider with your local authority, you will need to adhere to the National Standard. One of the criteria is that you will have completed induction training, and also complete childcare practitioners qualification within 5 years. See our ‘Funded ELC’ FAQ for more information below. 

Insurance 

Childminders are required to have valid Public Liability Insurance; however, at this early stage, where you are still completing the Care Inspectorate Application Form to become a childminder – you do not require to hold insurance as yet. 

When prompted about insurance during your application with the Care Inspectorate, you can simply state that you don’t currently hold insurance; however, you are aware that it is a requirement for childminding, and you will ensure valid insurance is in place once your registration is complete. 

Once your registration with the Care Inspectorate is granted, you should contact SCMA to setup and activate your membership, which includes SCMA Practitioner Insurance, arranged and administered by Morton Michel and underwritten by QBE UK Limited, so you can be sure that you, your business, and the children you care for are covered.  SCMA membership costs £128 per year, or FREE when you complete our Childminding Induction Support Programme and the Care Inspectorate registration process to become a childminder. 

Please call us on 01786 445377 if you have any further questions about SCMA Membership.

Childminders & Funded ELC

To be considered as a funded ELC partner provider by your local authority, you will need to meet the National Standard – a set of mandatory quality criteria set by the Scottish Government which includes the following:  childminders delivering the funded hours must have obtained the benchmark qualification for ELC practitioners – which is an SVQ III in Social Services (Children and Young People).

OR

if you are still within your first five years of delivering funded hours, you must be working towards achieving this qualification.

The introduction of a minimum qualification requirement for childminders delivering the funded hours will provide reassurance, in respect of quality of provision, for parents and carers when they are making their choice of ELC provider as they will hold (or be working towards the same qualification level as a practitioner working in any other ELC setting.

If a childminder is unable to obtain a place on a qualification course and is, therefore, unable to start working towards their benchmark qualification, they must provide evidence of application and response from the training provider.

Read more HERE to find out more about the qualification you will need to hold or be working towards.

Register your interest

Ready to take the first step?

Start your journey

We are recruiting in the following areas:

Aberdeenshire – Full

Aberdeen City

Argyll & Bute

Clackmannanshire

Dumfries & Galloway

Dundee

East Ayrshire

East Dunbartonshire

East Lothian

East Renfrewshire

Edinburgh

Falkirk

Fife – Levenmouth only

Perth & Kinross

Glasgow

Highland

Inverclyde

Midlothian

North Ayrshire

North Lanarkshire

Orkney Islands

Renfrewshire

Scottish Borders

Shetland Islands

South Ayrshire

South Lanarkshire

Stirling 

West Lothian

Read more about how we support our Childminders

Thank you to all funders and partners involved in the Programme for Scotland's Childminding Future