Childminders can apply to be recruited to either a Local Authority Network or a Children Come First Network which is a quality assured scheme.

A childminder can be Specialist, Approved or Accredited.   

In all cases the childminders will have to undergo assessment by their support worker to prove their competence and quality.

Accredited childminders are eligible to provide free early years education and receive the nursery education grant from their Local Authority.  

Parents can request to share these five sessions between providers; childminder, pre-school or day nursery