""I love it. I love the chaos. I love the freedom of the children learning. I even love changing the bums." Victoria Cook has worked as a childminder for more than 10 years. "We're not just babysitters - we're educators, carers, and part of the community," she said. "If we disappear, families lose more than just childcare, they lose choice.""
"The new flexibility comes amid a steep decline in the number of childminders. According to Ofsted, there were about 38,000 registered childminders in 2020 but by 2023, that number had dropped by 26%, with a further 5% decline recorded in the past year. If the trend continues, some fear the profession could disappear entirely by 2033. Rising costs, administrative burdens, and the isolation of working alone are some of the reasons given for the exodus."
Childminders provide nurturing, flexible home-based care suited to parents with non-traditional hours and act as educators, carers and community members. Numbers of registered childminders have fallen steeply from about 38,000 in 2020 to 26% fewer by 2023, with an additional 5% decline in the past year, prompting fears the profession could vanish by 2033 if the trend continues. Causes include rising costs, administrative burdens, isolation, lack of recognition, and low pay. A new scheme allows childminders to operate from schools and community centres, offering larger settings, staffing flexibility and potential to increase child ratios, particularly useful in areas with falling pupil numbers.
Read at www.bbc.com
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