What is a childminder?

A childminder is a registered childcare professional who looks after children in their own home for more than two hours a day and receives payment for their services. Childminders offer a warm, home-based setting where children can learn, play, and thrive — often forming close bonds in a family-style environment.

Choosing to become a childminder means you can:

  • Be your own boss
  • Work from home
  • Set your own hours
  • Build a career that fits around your family and commitments

It’s a rewarding role that allows you to support children in your local community, helping them grow and develop through play, routine, and real-life experiences. Childminders follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework and are regulated by Ofsted or a childminder agency, ensuring high standards of care and education.

What is a childminder without domestic premises?

A childminder without domestic premises is a registered childcare professional who cares for children exclusively in non-domestic settings - meaning they do not work from a home environment. These childminders still provide high-quality care and early education, but in places such as:

  • Schools (for example, offering wraparound or school-based childcare)
  • Community centres
  • Dedicated spaces within local businesses.

This model offers greater flexibility for both childminders and families. For example, a business with a suitable space could host an onsite childminder for employees’ children, or a group of childminders could work together in a shared community venue.

Key points

  • Childminders without domestic premises must be registered with Ofsted or a childminder agency.
  • They must follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requirements, just like home-based childminders.
  • All childcare activities, including drop-off and pick-up, must take place at the non-domestic location.
  • They cannot operate from any building that is used solely or mainly as a home.
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