{content}

Careers working with early years children

Information for people who are interested in becoming a professional Ofsted registered childminder in North Lincolnshire. The courses are also useful for practitioners in nurseries, pre-schools and reception class.

Childminder briefing sessions

If you are interested in becoming an Ofsted registered childminder and providing home-based high quality early years education and childcare, you can attend one of our childminder briefing sessions. They are free to attend and are delivered online via MS Teams for a period of two hours, 6pm to 8pm. These are the ideal starting point if you are considering becoming a registered childminder.

Attendance to just one briefing session is required.

The briefing is stage 1 of the support that we offer. It outlines the statutory requirements that a childminder has to meet as well as explaining the Ofsted registration process. Information is also provided about the £600 start-up funding provided for new childminders registering with Ofsted up until 31 March 2025.

You will need to register with Ofsted (or a childminding agency) if you wish to:

  • care for children from birth to seven years
  • for more than two hours in any one day
  • and for reward

The briefing will help you to make an informed decision as to whether providing home based early years education and childcare is for you. Sessions are held throughout the year and future dates are promoted on our  page and .

Following the briefing session (if you decide you wish to become a professional Ofsted registered childminder working with children aged birth to five years) we offer initial training in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The full “introduction to working within the EYFS” course provides this training and support (please see details below).

For more information or to book a place on the next on-line briefing session:

  • 17 April 2024 6pm-8pm

contact us on earlyyearsteam@northlincs.gov.uk

Further information

Initial training for childminders

For those wishing to apply to become a professional Ofsted registered childminder working with children in the early years age range (birth to five years) we offer initial training in the EYFS to help you prepare and develop your knowledge and understanding of the EYFS ready for your Ofsted registration interview visit. The training offered by North Lincolnshire Council also meets the requirements for the Childcare Registers, for those potential childminders wishing to provide before and after school care for children in year one and above.

This course is also ideal for practitioners who are new to working in an early years provision, such as:

  • day nursery
  • pre-school
  • school nursery
  • reception class

It is useful for practitioners who do not have formal early years training or would like a refresher of the current EYFS requirements.

What the course covers

The programme covers topics including:

  • overview of the EYFS
  • safeguarding awareness
  • overview of the learning, and development and assessment requirements of the EYFS
  • equality, inclusion and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
  • introduction to emotional development, and communication and language, and children’s behaviour  in the early years.

Potential childminders will also learn about the HMRC requirements for running a business and EYFS documentation.

The course is available for potential childminders at Ashby Community Hub, 9am-2.30pm over four days;

  • Friday 26 April 2024
  • Friday 3 May 2024
  • Friday 10 May 2024
  • Friday 17 May 2024.

Potential childminders who are unable to attend the daytime programme, can attend evening sessions, eight in total,  on-line via MS Teams, usually 6.30pm-8.30pm on the following dates:

  • Tuesday 30 April 2024
  • Wednesday 1 May 2024
  • Tuesday 7 May 2024
  • Wednesday 8 May 2024
  • Tuesday 14 May 2024
  • Wednesday 15 May 2024
  • Tuesday 21 May 2024
  • Wednesday 22 May 2024.

How will this course help me?

Doing this programme will:

  • support you to understand the legal requirements of the EYFS and how to implement them.
  • expand your knowledge of how children develop and learn and what you can do to enable them to make progress in their learning and development.
  • ensure you are aware of the procedures you would need to follow if you had a safeguarding concern about a child.
  • raise your awareness of the support available and how you can access it to help you meet the needs of all the children in your care.
  • increase your confidence in your knowledge and understanding of the EYFS so that you are prepared for your Ofsted Registration Interview.

Support provided

In addition to the training programme content, support is also provided by locality childminders who are designated, experienced childminders in each area of North Lincolnshire. They can provide practical support and development opportunities. These include experience of a stay and play session at a children’s centre and a visit to a childminding business. If you decide that you wish to become an Ofsted registered childminder, we will provide one to one guidance and advice in your home and on-line, both during and after the training programme to support you to prepare for your Ofsted registration interview visit covering a range of topics such as: safer recruitment and risk assessment in a home environment. Once Ofsted registered ongoing support is provided to help you to further develop your home-based early years education and childcare.

The course also provides you with the opportunity to meet and interact with tutors who are members of the early years, providing specialised support for all early years providers.

There are no exams. However, learners are requested to complete on-line training resources, written tasks, and quizzes and provide feedback on the sessions and will receive a certificate at the end.

Costs

The full course costs £127.31 but sessions can also be purchased individually. For example if you already have relevant early years or childcare qualifications.

For more information please email earlyyearsteam@northlincs.gov.uk or call the team on 01724 297000.

The early years service page on the Services for Education website has lots of information for professionals, including links to relevant training and CPD opportunities.

Further CPD opportunities to support your career pathway are also available from the early years team. These include:

  • communication and language development
  • infant mental health
  • NHS Solihull Approach training
  • introduction to the role of the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO)
  • moderation
  • termly networking meetings

Details of programmes are regularly emailed out to early years providers. In addition, our early years development officers visit and work in partnership with all early years providers. They provide support, advice and guidance on how to develop their provision.

For further details please contact us on earlyyearsteam@northlincs.gov.uk

Our adult and community learning team also provide a range of continued professional development (CPD) opportunities.

The setting the standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five framework sets of the legal requirements for all early years providers and schools in England.

The North Lincolnshire early years team work throughout the local area. We offer support, advice and guidance on all aspects of the EYFS to Ofsted registered providers. These include schools, nurseries, pre-schools, childminders and out of school clubs. We work closely with colleagues in the council and with community groups and individuals.

For more information or to request support from the early years team please do not hesitate to contact us on 01724 297000.

Our Family Information Service (FIS)  page has lots of free, impartial information and advice for families in North Lincolnshire.

Our Local Offer website includes information for parents and carers with children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

See the childminder page on Gov.UK for information on becoming a childminder or nanny.

The Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years has information about early years childcare training and qualifications.

Our Early Years Service page on the Services for Education website has a wide range of information for professionals.

The Local Offer website has lots of information for professionals on special educational needs and disability.