How to Find a Registered Childminder in Scotland

A registered childminder can be an excellent option for Scottish families — a home-from-home setting, small numbers, a single consistent carer your child gets to know deeply. But finding the right one takes a bit of patience and a clear understanding of how the system works. This guide takes you from "I'm thinking about a childminder" to "we've signed a contract" without missteps.

Why "registered" is the only word that matters first

In Scotland, anyone caring for a child for more than two hours a day for reward in their own home must be registered with the Care Inspectorate. There are no exceptions, no informal workarounds, no "she's just a friend who minds my kids for a tenner an hour" exemptions. Unregistered childminding is illegal, uninsured and unsafeguarded.

Registration means:

• Disclosure (PVG) checks on the childminder and any adults in the household
• A home inspection, including risk assessment of the property
• First aid and child protection training
• Public liability insurance
• Ongoing Care Inspectorate inspection and a published grade

Don't shortcut this. Any saving from unregistered care evaporates the first time something goes wrong.

The three main ways to find a childminder

1. The Care Inspectorate register (careinspectorate.com)

This is the definitive list. Go to careinspectorate.com, use the "Find care" or service search, enter your postcode, filter by "childminder." You'll see every registered childminder within range, along with:

• Their registration status
• Capacity and ages they're registered to take
• Most recent grades on the 6-point scale
• A downloadable inspection report

This is the only complete list. Everything else is a subset.

2. SCMA Childminder Finder (childminding.org)

The Scottish Childminding Association runs a search tool at childminding.org. It only includes SCMA members — a large proportion of professional Scottish childminders are members, but not all. It's a useful complement, not a replacement for the Care Inspectorate register.

3. Word of mouth

Local parent groups (in-person and on Facebook), workplace networks, your council's family information service, and your health visitor can all suggest names. Always cross-check any recommended name on the Care Inspectorate register before contacting.

SCMA membership: what it does and doesn't tell you

SCMA membership signals a childminder who values training and peer support — a genuine positive. But it is voluntary, and it is not a quality mark or a registration. The Care Inspectorate register is the statutory test; SCMA membership is a bonus on top. If you've heard other parents refer to "the SCMA register" as if it were the official list, see our explainer on SCMA and the childminder register — the confusion is common enough to need its own guide.

How to read the inspection report

Every registered childminder has a published Care Inspectorate report. When you read one:

• Grades run from 1 (unsatisfactory) to 6 (excellent) across quality themes including care and support, the environment, and leadership
• Check the date of the last inspection — a glowing report from several years ago tells you less than a recent solid one
• Read any requirements and recommendations: requirements are compulsory fixes, recommendations are advisory improvements
• Read the narrative, not just the number — the inspector's description of a typical day tells you more about fit than the grade alone

Our Care Inspectorate grades guide explains what each level of the scale means in practice.

What to look at on a childminder profile

When you've shortlisted two or three:

• Current grade — see our Care Inspectorate grades guide for what each level means
• Ages they're registered to take — some only take pre-schoolers, others happily mix ages
• Current vacancies — most childminders' websites or social media show available days/times
• Languages spoken — useful for bilingual families
• Whether they're a funded provider — see the funded childminder hours guide
• Hours and term-time policy — some work school holidays, some don't

What childminders charge

Childminders in Scotland typically charge by the hour — often £5.50 to £8.00 per hour depending on area and experience, with city rates at the upper end. A full-time week of 45 hours might cost £250 to £360. Beyond the hourly rate, clarify:

• Whether meals are included or charged separately
• Whether you pay during the childminder's holidays, your holidays, or both — policies vary widely and this materially changes the annual cost
• Whether a retainer applies if you want to hold a place before starting
• Deposit terms and the notice period (typically 4 weeks)

Registered childminders can be paid through Tax-Free Childcare and the Universal Credit childcare element, so compare your net cost, not the headline rate, against nurseries. Our childminder vs nursery comparison covers the full cost and care-style trade-offs.

Using funded hours with a childminder

Your 1,140 funded hours can be delivered by a childminder — but only one who has signed a funded-provider agreement with your council under the Funding Follows the Child National Standard. Many excellent childminders choose not to opt in, because the council's hourly rate is typically lower than their private rate, so never assume.

If funded hours matter to you:

1. Ask on first contact whether they currently take funded children and have funded capacity
2. Cross-check your council's published funded-provider list
3. Remember hours can be split across two providers — for example a nursery three days a week and a childminder two days — see splitting funded hours between providers

The mechanics of who pays whom, and what happens during the childminder's holidays, are covered in our guide to funded hours at a childminder.

The initial enquiry

Childminders are running a business from their home and are usually mid-day with children when you call. A short, friendly email or message is often the best opener:

Hi [name], we're looking for a childminder for our [age] [boy/girl] starting around [date], approximately [number of days/hours per week]. I see from your profile you may have availability — could we arrange a chat or a visit? Many thanks, [your name].

Avoid sending the same long generic enquiry to 20 childminders. They talk to each other, and personalised enquiries get better responses.

The first visit

You're visiting someone's home, so be respectful — phones away, shoes off if asked. Plan for 30-45 minutes. Bring your child if possible, so you can see how they're greeted.

Things to look at:

• The play and sleep spaces
• Garden or outdoor area
• Where children eat
• Stair gates, fire safety, kitchen access
• Any pets and how they interact with children
• The other children currently in care (you should be able to see them)

Things to ask:

• How they structure the day
• Outings and trips (toddler groups, parks, library)
• Food (do they cook, do you provide?)
• Sleep arrangements
• Holiday and sickness policy
• Fee structure and notice period
• Funded hours availability if relevant

Trial sessions

Most professional childminders offer two or three settling-in sessions before a contract begins — typically a one-hour visit with you present, then a short solo session, then a longer one. Pay for these at the agreed hourly rate. If a childminder won't do settling-in, that's a flag.

The contract

A proper childminder contract is a written document covering:

• Hours, days and start date
• Hourly or daily rate
• Holiday entitlement (yours and theirs)
• Sickness policy
• Notice period (typically 4 weeks)
• Termination terms
• Care Inspectorate registration number and insurance details

SCMA provides a standard template that many members use. Read it, ask questions, take it home before signing.

Red flags that should end the conversation

Most Scottish childminders are professional and safe. Walk away, though, if you meet any of these:

• No registration certificate produced when asked — registered childminders can always show one
• Reluctance to let you see the areas of the home children actually use
• More children present than the registration allows — the normal maximums are 8 under 16, no more than 6 under 12, 3 pre-school and 1 under 12 months, including the childminder's own children
• No written contract, or pressure to pay substantial sums before any settling-in
• Vagueness about who else lives in or regularly visits the household — adults in the household must be PVG-checked as part of registration
• "I'm just waiting for my registration to come through" — care delivered before registration is granted is unregistered care

None of these are awkward things to check. A professional childminder expects the questions and respects parents who ask them.

A realistic search timeline

In most of Scotland, allow 4-8 weeks from first enquiry to signed contract:

• Weeks 1-2: search the register, shortlist three or four, send personalised enquiries
• Weeks 2-4: first visits, a second visit with your child, and a chat with one or two current or former parents if the childminder can put you in touch
• Weeks 4-6: agree terms, take the contract home, book settling-in sessions
• Weeks 6-8: settling-in, then the confirmed start

In high-demand city areas, or if you need specific days of the week, start earlier — the best childminders' books fill up just as popular nurseries' do. If your start date is fixed by a return to work, add buffer at every stage.

When it's the right fit

You'll know when you've found the right childminder because three things line up: your child relaxes quickly into the setting; the childminder communicates openly and clearly; and the practical details (hours, location, cost) work without strain. If any of those three is shaky, keep looking. Scotland has a deep pool of excellent registered childminders, and patience pays off.