Childminding
Question 1: Are Childminders required to have Garda Vetting?
All Tusla registered Childminders must have Garda Vetting, but best practice would indicate that all Childminders and their emergency backup contact should be Garda Vetted.
Follow the link below for further details on Garda Vetting through Tusla for Childminders:
| No. of preschool children cared for (0 – 6 years) | Maximum no of school age children than can be cared for (6+ yrs) |
|---|---|
| 0 | 12 |
| 1 | 10 |
| 2 | 7 |
| 3 | 5 |
| 4 | 2 |
| 5 | 1 |
Question 2: Do you need a qualification to become a Childminder?
Childminders who are not obliged to register with Tusla are not required to have a childcare qualification, however all Childminders are encouraged to continue their professional development and participate in relevant childcare training as a measure of best practice.
Childminders who register with Tusla as a pre-school service are required to hold at least a major award in Early Childhood Care and Education at Level 5 on the National Qualifications Framework prior to registration. This includes the care of a mix of preschool and school age children.
There is currently no qualification requirement for Childminders registered with Tusla as a School Age Childcare service. This includes the care of a mix of preschool and school age children.
| No. of pre-school children being cared for | Maximum no. of school age children |
|---|---|
| 1 | 5 |
| 2 | 4 |
| 3* | 3* |
Question 3: Do Childminder’s need insurance?
All Childminders should ensure that the childminding service is adequately insured, evidenced by a current certificate of insurance. Childminders who are registered with Tusla are obliged to adhere to the requirements as outlined in the Quality and Regulatory Framework.
For Childminders working from their own home, Childminding Insurance is important for their own protection. Many home insurance policies cover childminding for up to 2 children, which may be extended to mind up to 6 children. For specific childminding insurance, there are policies, such as that offered by Childminding Ireland, which are tailored packages for minding up to 6 children.
