It hardly feels like you’ve become a parent, and now you have to go off to work! But it’s not all bad news. If you decide that a child minder is the right carer for your child, one of the advantages is that your child will be one of a small group and the minder can therefore offer plenty of individual attention.

Child minders usually have mixed aged groups and can care for up to six children at any one time. OFSTED decides how many children can be cared for depending on the child minder’s own children and the space that is available.

Most child minders are parents themselves and as well as being trained they may be very experienced with caring for babies and children, can often be more flexible about dropping off and picking up times and can be used to provide part-time care for children before and after school.

You may also choose to have a child minder who is of the same culture as you or your children.

Read some questions that you may ask the child minder before you decide, within the article Choosing a Childcare setting.