Childminders

A childminder is a self-employed person who minds other people's children in the childminders own home. Certain categories of childminders are legally obliged to notify the HSE that they are providing a childminding service while others are not obliged to notifiy.

Want to become a Childminder?
List of Voluntary Notified Childminders in County Mayo (coming soon!)
Funding (Childminding Development Grant - NCIP Funding for Childminders)
Childminding Training & Events
Childminding Sub-Committee
Useful Links
Useful Contacts

Want to become a Childminder?

If you are interested in becoming a Notified or Voluntary Notified Childminder please see copy of Guidelines for Childminders (pdf) or contact the Childminding Advisory Officer, HSE West for an information pack and guidelines. Tel 094 9034776

Notified Childminder

Under the Child Care Act 1991, a person minding more than three pre-school children from different families is obliged to notify the HSE of her / his childminding service, with the exception of those who are exempt from notifying.

Voluntary Notified Childminder

A childminder is not obliged to notify the HSE where a childminder is minding:

Children under the age of six years who are attending a national school or a school providing a similar educational programme or
Pre-school children who are all from the same family or who are the children of the childminders relatives or
No more that three pre-school children who are from different families.

However a childminder might wish to voluntarily notify that a service is being provided and can do so by contacting the local Childminding Advisory Officer.

For futher information download a copy of Guidelines for Childminders (pdf)

Becoming a Voluntary Notified Childminder

Voluntary notification benefits childminders by opening up access to a range of support including information, networking and training available through local Childcare Committees and local Childminding Advisory Officers, which will help childminders to improve the quality of their services.

If you would like to find out more on how to become a voluntary notified childminder and the benefits to you of doing so download the Guidelines for Childminders (pdf).

Useful Contacts

Mary O Hara
Childmining Advisory Officer, HSE West
Early Childcare Services Dept
2^nd Floor
Mill Lane
Castlebar
Co Mayo
Tel 094 9034776 or 087 2168496

Mary Heavey
Childminding Ireland
www.childminding.ie (external link)
Tel 096 70284