In relation to Preschool age children: A Childminder should look after no more than 5 preschool children (birth – 6 years). Childminders who care for 4 or more preschool children are legally required to register their childminding service with Tusla prior to caring for the 4th minded child.
In relation to School Age Childcare: If a Childminder cares for school age children only, the Childminder can care for up to 12 children in the Childminder’s home. A Childminder can care for up to 6 school age children without having to register with Tusla, however the care of 7 or more school age children requires such Childminders to register their childminding service with Tusla.
Childminders who care for a mix of preschool and school age children: The maximum numbers of each that a Childminder can care for at the same time is as follows:
| 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 |
If you care for up to 3 preschool children only or up to 6 school age children only or a combination of children outlined in the table below then you are exempt from registering with Tusla.
| No. of pre-school children being cared for | Maximum no. of school age children |
|---|---|
| 1 | 5 |
| 2 | 4 |
| 3* | 3* |
*no more than 2 babies under 15 months
If you mind both preschool and school age children, you should register on the portal based on the majority age group of children you care for i.e. if you care for a majority of preschool children you register on the Early Years’ Service section; if you care for a majority of school age children you register on the School Age Service section of the portal.
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.
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.
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.
