Training, finance and support

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Training you will need to complete
Insurance
Grants
Funding
How will parents / carers find you?
Join the Cornwall Childminder Mentor Programme!

Training you will need to complete

You must complete:

Paediatric First Aid
This can be booked free of charge through our Early Education Training. You can also find alternative training instead.
Child Protection Training
You can complete the Single Agency safeguarding training which is an introduction to child protection. You can also complete the ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ course which is a Level 3 multi agency training. There is currently no charge for these. They can be completed online through the Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Safeguarding Partnership.
At your registration visit with Ofsted, they will ask you to show you have good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.

A great start to this is by using the new gov.uk site help for early years providers.

Local authority training

We have developed an Early Years Foundation Stage Training Directory. This includes a variety of continuing professional development courses around Early Years. It is suitable for childminders and other practitioners working in this area.

The following might be useful to meet your needs:

Early years child development training

The DfE has worked with early years experts to create a free, flexible online training course. This can help you build on your early years child development knowledge. For more information and to enrol visit: Early years child development training

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

If you just need to update your knowledge of EYFS there is an online course through PACEY - £14.99

Other Childminder training

Online childminder introductory training - £145
For potential childminders coming into the profession with experience working with the EYFS. You are confident that you can deliver the EYFS effectively. PACEY Building your childminding business course - £14.99

Safeguarding

Basic awareness in safeguarding children for early years settings (Level 2 single agency training). Course code EYFS4 - Free
or online through PACEY, Morton Michel or NSPCC (Costs vary)
Working together to safeguard children. Training for safeguarding leaders (Level 3 multi agency training) - Free

Food hygiene Level 2 catering

Safer food, better business for childminders - Free

There is training to help you meet the requirements:

Level 2 Online Food Safety Course - £9.99
Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate - £12.00

HMRC for Childminders

Learn more about your responsibilities if you're running a small business, including:

registration
tax returns
record keeping
tax bills and payments

Ongoing training

There is a list of relevant MindEd courses on PACEY

And regular Cornwall Childminder Network online meetings to keep you in touch and update your training. Course code EYFS05

Insurance

Activate your public liability insurance. (For example, Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) or Morton Michel. Other companies are also available.)
Register with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) as data controller - £40.00
Advise your home insurer
Add business cover to your car insurance

Grants

Nursery Milk Scheme

Funding

Free Early Years Entitlements

England, eligible families can access free early years education and childcare for their children. As a registered childminder, you can offer these funded places once you sign up with your local authority.

What the entitlements include

15 hours per week for 38 weeks per year of free early education for all 3- and 4 year olds – Universal Entitlement
15 hours per week for 38 weeks per year for eligible 2 year olds – Early Learning for 2 year olds
Up to 30 hours per week for 38 weeks per year for eligible children aged 9 months to 4 years – Working Entitlement

Who can deliver it?

Registered childcare providers including childminders, nurseries, and pre schools can deliver funded places, provided they meet quality and registration requirements.

What parents must not be charged for

The funded hours must be free at the point of use
Providers cannot impose mandatory charges (e.g., for basic access to funded hours)
Optional charges (e.g., meals or extra activities) must be clearly itemised and not compulsory

If you would like to sign up to offer funded places, please email nurseryfunding@cornwall.gov.uk

Families can use this site to find out what funding they are entitled to and this will inform you too!

Childcare Choices - Early Years Entitlements, tax free childcare and help with costs
Early years funding is a useful site with a section on FAQs about funding