Start a Creche from Home?

Q.

My friend and I have always wanted to look after children working in a creche. Recently we have decided to set up a home creche at my friends house.

We are both currently doing our NVQ level 2 via our job as careworkers, we have no other qualifications. We know we have a lot to sort out and different things to apply for.

As we are starting from scratch, could you please advise on what we need to be applying for.

A.

There’s a lot of groundwork to cover in the early stages of setting up and starting a home crèche. A crèche is one of the forms of childcare services that has to be registered with Ofsted and conform to and meet a set of 14 National Standards.

In the first instance, it would be advisable to obtain a copy of the National Standards for crèche's, as they outline all the minimum standards you have to meet. The 14 areas they cover are:

• Suitable persons to run crèche's.
• Organisation.
• Care, learning and play.
• Physical environment.
• Equipment.
• Safety.
• Health.
• Food and drink.
• Equal opportunities.
• Special needs.
• Behaviour.
• Working in partnership with parents and carers.
• Child protection.
• Documentation.

If you want to look after babies and children under the age of two years old, there are also additional criteria that need to be met. You can obtain a copy of the crèche National Standards by calling the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) Publications line on Tel: 0845 602 2260. Alternatively, you can download a .pdf copy here - http://www.surestart.gov.uk/_doc/P0002406.pdf To find out more information about registering with Ofsted, you can contact their helpline on Tel: 0845 601 4771 (http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/).

Your local Children’s Information Service (CIS) are a good port of call to speak to regarding any funding opportunities that you could apply for in your local area. You can find the contact details of your local CIS by phoning 0800 2346 346 or by logging on to www.childcarelink.gov.uk.

Your CIS will also be able to advice on whether there’s a particular need for another childcare service in your area. Although most areas will benefit from having an additional childcare provider, it’s always extra useful to know if it’s particularly wanted in your local area and could be a point you could emphasise when applying for funding. The CIS can also put you in touch with the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP), as they may be another useful source of information and insight into local childcare services and needs.

A useful guide to funding opportunities is available from the DFES. Entitled, “The A-Z to Finding Funds – Directory of Funding for Early Years Education and Childcare,” it can be obtained by calling the DfES Publications Centre Line on Tel: 0845 602 2260.

It’s good to hear that you’re both working towards your NVQ Level 2 at the moment. However, anyone in charge of a childcare service has to have a Level 3 qualification (NVQ 3 or equivalent) or be a qualified teacher with experience in early years. In order to meet the National Standards, one of you needs to be trained to Level 3 and therefore be in charge, or you need to be prepared to employ a manager who has those qualifications (although this can, of course, be more of an expensive way around it).

I hope this gives you a good starting point to get going with. Good luck with your plans!