Childminding groups
Run by
childminders for childminders
There are many groups across England and Wales, with roughly 900
affiliated to NCMA (you may know of others that aren’t linked to
NCMA).
All childminding groups are different. Some start off as very
informal get-togethers, but many develop into a more formal support
network and may offer you training, a local vacancy scheme, social
events, parents’ evenings, the use of a toy library or discussion
groups.
It’s well worth joining a local childminding group because of
the extra opportunities it can offer you, including local
information and extra support, and the chance to meet up with other
childminders in your area. And, if your group is NCMA affiliated,
you will get money off your NCMA membership.
You can find out if there is an affiliated group in your area by
calling NCMA on 0845 880 0044. Where possible, any childminder who
joins NCMA as an individual member will be given the name and
telephone number of their local group so that they can make contact
and join the group if they wish.
Joining an NCMA group is also the easiest way to start
volunteering and helping to promote the profile of childminding
locally. At a local level you could volunteer to organise a
National Childminding Week event or to help to distribute the local
newsletter.
As you become more involved, you may want to volunteer to stand
on your childminding group’s committee and help with organising the
group. From here, many childminders move on to join their
local authority association committee, their regional
committee, and even NCMA’s National Policy Forum and Board.
Starting a group
If there isn’t a group in your area, your regional NCMA office
will be delighted to help you start one and may be able to put you
in touch with other sources of help and advice.
It’s worthwhile seeing if your group can become NCMA-affiliated.
It doesn’t cost anything – and your group members will get money
off NCMA membership. There are certain requirements groups must
meet before they can be affiliated to, or recognised by, NCMA.
You can find out more about starting a group, and getting it
NCMA-affiliated, by calling 0845 880 0044 or by
downloading our leaflet, Starting an NCMA Group
(pdf, 270kb). You can also use NCMA's model
constitution for childminding groups.